The Crimson Warrior, the Elegant Assassin
by Fire Sage
Summary: Her name meant elegance and that's what she was. A beautiful, elegant killer who you never saw coming. Never would've guessed. Sometimes, things aren't what they appear, and other times they are. Kyuzo/OC
1. Chapter 1

Hello. This is my first ever Samurai 7 fanfic. I hope you like it!

Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however.

* * *

It was dark. Everything was dark. There was no light, no sound, she couldn't feel. Was this death? Was she dying?

Slowly, as her mind began to think these thoughts, it slowly became less dark.

She could feel. She was on a mat, a thin blanket on her form. She was in pain, not excruciating but a dull pain that had probably come from the previous fading. She was injured, she was healing. Her wounds had been bandaged, she wasn't bleeding. She wasn't bound, which meant she probably wasn't a prisoner. This was good.

She soon could begin to hear. She could hear people. Quiet chatter around her, about what she didn't know. She heard the words village, Kanna, Nobuseri, samurai. Her hearing became clearer as she continued to come back to consciousness.

Finally, she opened her eyes. A hard task to say the least, her lids felt like weights over her eyes and she would have just given up and kept them closed if it was in her nature. The dim light of a fire hurt her eyes, but the dark orbs slowly come into focus and she glanced around. Someone was there. A girl, probably younger than herself, dressed in red and blue stirred a pot over the tiny fire that lit up the room. A small girl, no more than a child, giggles and chatted with someone who looked like a robot lying on his side. He grumbles at the young girls teasing. They don't seem to notice that she's there.

"Oh, you're awake." The older girl says, pausing in her stirring and moving over to her. "Komachi, go get Kambei." The little girl salutes the other and scurries out. "Here," The young woman says producing a cup, "Can you sit up?" She does, struggling a little to do so, but takes the cup and drinks. The water feels good on her dry throat.

By the time she has finished her water, two men walk in. One is older, with dark skin and hair. The other had blond with light skin and eyes. She watched them sit down beside the bed roll her now sat on.

"My name is Kambei. Do you know where you are?" She thought for a moment.

"No." She replied, because she didn't.

She remembered a battle. She remembered all the blood, the smell, the corpses. She remembered running, running to catch someone. She remembered fighting, as if her life had depended on it. Had it? It had, hadn't it. She remembered falling. Falling from a great height, from a cliff cut in two by their swords as they fought, she fell into the ice water below. She remembered sinking. Down, down, down, like the icy hands of the water and death were pulling her down, the arctic water stinging her wounds as they pulled her before she went numb and darkness came. Then, she was here. In this place that looked modest, and relatively clean, yet not to the standards of a hospital that she was sure she needed. It looked like an abandoned shed. Where this was, she did not know. She doubted this was hell, so she knew she wasn't dead.

"Do you know who you are?" The man asked and she thought again.

"Yes."

"Can you tell us your name?" She paused. Not to think, but to consider telling the man questioning her.

"Mai," She answered. After all, what did it matter telling him the name of a dead woman, or at least everyone probably knew that name thought she was dead.

"Well, Miss Mai, could you tell us how you ended up on the bank in the condition you were in?"

"I fell." She didn't lie, he didn't need to know.

"Hm, must have been some fall. Jagged rocks below, I take it? That's probably what caused slashes, hn." Her eyes shifted to the second man, who questioned her with a tone that said 'it's ok, lie. I already know, so whatever you tell me won't matter anyway.' Therefore, she didn't answer.

"Well, despite the fall you took, your injuries were not that bad. You probably washed up on the bank where we found you not long after falling. You're lucky you didn't drown."

"Thank you," She said flatly and with little sincerity. What was she thankful for? To be live? To have been saved? No one could save her, her life was already over. What was the point in saving a dead woman?

"Well don't get all greatful or anything! After all it's not like we did anything 'cept save your life! No thanks needed there!" A loud man in red armor said, sounded kind of angry.

"If you were looking for thanks, you shouldn't have wasted the bandages." She said flatly again, and the loud red man blew angry steam out of his spout. He took a breath, preparing to yell at her, but the first man spoke.

"Kikuchiyo, contain yourself. She doesn't have to thank us if she doesn't want to. We didn't help her for praise." The loud red man, Kikuchiyo, blew steam out of his spout again and spun around on his but to face away from them, muttering. A small girl, Komachi, went to his side to comfort him.

"Why did you then?" She asked, her first question to her apparent 'saviors' this whole time.

"You looked in need of it." Kambei, obviously the leader, answered.

"You just help complete strangers out of the goodness of your heart?" Mai asked, curious and bitterly. No one ever helped others out of the goodness of their hearts. Someone always wanted something.

"These men are noble samurai, Miss. They help people. They're coming to help our village." A young woman said. She scoffed a little.

"Samurai are dead." She said, causing a few surprised reactions from those around her.

"Well, I can assure you, we're still alive and kicking." The second man, with the lie-to-me tone, said, "Kambei here and I were fighter in the great war. I'm Shichiroji, by the way, but tell me my dear. What makes you say that the samurai are dead?" He asked, continuing to speak. She deduced that he did this a lot, something she didn't care for.

"Personal opinion," She replied.

"Was it Nobuseri that attacked you? Is that why you think that?" The man, Kambei she gathered, asked. Everyone in the room perked up at the mention of Nobuseri, an interesting thing she thought.

"Nobuseri didn't attack me." Mai stated.

"Would you mind telling us who did? I'd like to know who would attack such a beautiful woman like yourself." The blond, Shichiroji, said with a smile.

Mai gasped a little, and a hand flew to her face. She hadn't noticed until that moment that the lower part of her face was bare. Where was her mask? Had she lost it in the fall? No, she took it off before the fight. She suddenly felt very naked and exposed.

"Oh, please don't be alarmed. It was I that bandaged your wounds. None of these men saw you." A young woman said, taking her sudden change as embarrassment over having to have her stomach, arms, and thighs bandaged and the prospect of being naked in front of strange men.

She had her own clothes back on, since they had nothing else to put her in. The black outfit, Kirara believed, was more relieving than a person of apparent modesty should. It looked like a dress of sorts, solid black, and clung to her frame. It had been hard to remove when Kirara had had to take it of to tend her wounds. It was back less, though her front was completely covered up to her neck. It went to her ankles, but had very high, predominant slits up the sides and short shorts that clung to her shapely rear but did little to cover her legs. She had worn black leather boots, that had gone up to her knees, but had been removed and not put back on. Long, black, finger less gloves that went up to her bicep hand been on her arms, which had also not been put back on. She looked like an assassin. Which, judging by the several shuriken throwing knives in various pouches, kukri style dagger, and yugata style sword they hand found her with; it wasn't out of the question.

She didn't say anything, just sat there. "We will let you rest. Even though you have been unconscious for some time, sleep is the best thing for healing." Kambei said, getting up to leave and everyone followed. "We will be outside if you need anything," He said, _or try to escape_ Mai thought as she was left alone in the small room.

She took a deep breath, calmed herself, and focused. If she closed her eyes, and listened very hard, she could hear them talking outside about her.

"So what do you think sensei?" A new man, young by the sound of his voice, asked.

"I don't know Katsushiro. She didn't say very much." Kambei said to the younger man.

"What do you think we should do with her Kambei-dono? She was packin' a lot of weapons for just one person. Let alone a girl person." A new voice stated.

"Are you saying girls can't fight?!" A tiny, child like voice asked. Komachi, she guessed.

"No, no, no, I'm just saying that. It just that usually people that have that many weapons plan to use them. She could be an assassin, or a bounty hunter. I heard from some gossip in the last village that the bounty on us has gone up, so I wouldn't be surprised if this was all a trick to have us drop our guard." The newer voice said again.

"Heihachi-dono is right, Kambei. Did you see the way she acted when she realized her face wasn't covered? She must have had a mask along with those weapons. She could be an assassin or a bounty hunter, or better yet a spy. She said Nobuseri didn't attack her, but that doesn't mean that she works for them; or for Ukyo for that matter." Shichiroji said calmly.

"Not Ukyo's style. He prefers to keep his women as whores, not as spies." A new voice, monotone and even, spoke. How many was that now? Eight?

"Be that as it may, we really can't just leave her somewhere. She hasn't really done anything yet. Maybe, for now, we should give her the benefit of the doubt." Another new voice said. Nine?

"Great way to get us all killed." The monotone voice said again, and there was a laugh.

"I'm not saying let's give her precious information or make her part of the team or anything. I'm just saying let us be civil. Why treat her like a criminal if she really isn't one?" The newest voice said.

"Gorobei is right," Kambei spoke up again, "We can't just leave her, and we don't know if she has done anything wrong. We'll take her with us. We can drop her off at the next village that's a few days way. We'll have to keep an eye on her while she's here." Mai thought she heard the nods of approval from the others, or at least she didn't hear anyone object.

Mai opened her eyes. So, seven samurai and a total group of about eight had saved her. Well, they said they weren't going to kill her, so that was a plus. That didn't mean that they wouldn't change their minds though.

She paused for a moment to self check. She felt fine. Her wounds had practically completely healed. They had taken fair care of her. She narrowed her eyes a little and sighed. Lying back down, Mai stared at the room of the small shed above her. She needed to leave, but she could wait. A few days and they would be in a village. If she didn't cause any trouble she could get there easily, resupply, and be on her way. She could do that. She could be patient.

* * *

There is the first chapter. I hope you guys liked it. Please send me your thoughts or opinions, I would really like to hear them, and I'll try to update soon!


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

In the morning, after the sun had begun to warm the earth with its rays, Mai awoke. She was startled for a moment, because she didn't know where she was, but then she remembered. The fight, the fall, the almost dying, the samurai, she remembered everything that had happened to her over the course of the past few days; minus the being unconscious parts obviously.

Mai listened outside of the makeshift shed that the group had put her in to keep her safe from the elements while she healed and heard people moving around. She figured she should go out there now that she was up. They would be expecting her to.

She inspected the room and saw her shoes and gloves over in a corner near the end of the bed. Her joints and body protesting from not having been used in a few days and the conditions they had been put through before the extended rest when she moved to get them. Once she had put her things on, noticing the lack of weaponry in the small pile, she walked out of the make shift establishment and into the light. She paused, looking at the people who were now looking at her before she calmly sat down in a seiza position. "Well, it's good to see you're finally up and about. I'm Heihachi. What's your name?" The smiling red head asked handing her a cup of what she assumed was water. He seemed cheerful, far too cheerful for a samurai.

"It's Mai." She replied, tilting the cup to her lips.

"Hm, Mai, that's a pretty name. Where do you come from Mai?" Heihachi asked cheerfully. Mai gripped her cup a little tighter at the question.

"Nowhere," She replied.

"Well that seems unlikely. Everyone has got to come from somewhere." He said with a broad smile, trying to get her to open up. It didn't work. She didn't want to talk to this man, this stranger. Her cat shaped eyes flickered over to him over the brim of her cup as he moved to speak again, conveying this want for privacy with dark violet eyes. "O…kay, well I guess it's not where you're from but where you're goin' hn?" Heihachi said, laughing nervously and scratching the back of his head. Mai smirked behind her cup as she sipped her water.

"Well, it would appear that our guest is feeling better." Mai looked up from her cup to the older man that had just made his appearance.

"Kambei-dono," She said in greeting, lowering her cup into her lap with both hands.

"Ah, so you remember my name. That's good. Are you indeed feeling better then Lady Mai? Well enough to travel?" The blonde nodded. She didn't like her hair. People mocked her for its color and it wasn't a pretty shade. It was like it always had dirt and grime in it; a perfect golden blonde that could never be washed clean. She often thought that it was ironic. "That is also good to hear. Might I ask do you have any family, somewhere that we can take you, or someplace to go Lady Mai?" The old samurai asked. _Somewhere we can leave you so we don't have to deal with you?_ Mai added to herself.

"No," She replied. She had nowhere to go. Not now anyways.

"That is unfortunate. Family is very important." The old samurai stated.

"I suppose." Mai said with a verbal brow arch; bored with this conversation, even if she hadn't know where it was going.

"There is a village not far from here. It is about a two day journey away. We are leaving for there shortly. Would you object if we took you there?"

"What if I say no?" Mai questioned in a cool tone.

"That would be unwise. Given your condition, though you are healed almost completely, old wounds can reopen and become infected, or worse. It's best for you not to stay here." Kambei said in a wise manner.

"I can take care of myself." She insisted.

"I have no doubt of that." Kambei replied, hinting that he knew more than he let on. Mai didn't like that.

"It's not like I really have a choice, then. Stay here and die or go with you. Doesn't seem like much of an option." She said, standing on her feet. The old man did the same, along with the others.

"Very well, we will escort you to the village. Katsushiro, gather what's left from the shed."

"Yes sensei." A young boy said, quickly following to do his teachers will.

"We'll leave momentarily." He said to the group.

"Can I have my stuff back?" Mai asked flatly, wondering which one had her weapons.

"Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, we cannot do that. You may have your weapons back when we get to the village, as a matter of security." Kambei told her, his tone trying to be smoothing and keep the woman from becoming hostile.

"What about protection?" She asked in scrutiny. She could hear his apprehension, but if Kambei knew her he would have known that she wasn't one to become hostile or upset so easily.

"Aw, don't worry pretty lady. We'll protect you from anyone or anything that tries to harm you." Shichiroji said chivalrously, moving to place an arm around her shoulder.

"I mean from you." She said, walking out from under his arm and off into the forest.

"Well, she's an interesting one, eh Kambei-dono?" Shichiroji asked, brow arched as he leaned on his naginata staff. Kambei grunted.

"Indeed. We'll have to keep an eye on her. Kyuzo-dono, I would ask that that be your job."

Kyuzo said nothing, seeming to have appeared from thin air, but walked off to follow her.

"Kambei-dono, are you sure that's wise? Who's to say that Kyuzo won't kill her because of his suspicions?" Kirara asked timidly.

"Kyuzo isn't the kind of man to kill for sport. He has too much pride in his skills to taint them like that. But he would be the only one that wouldn't blink if the situation came. If she is an enemy as some suspect, his watchful eye is what is needed." Kirara looked down at the older samurai's words. She didn't like this, but would respect the man's wishes. Perhaps he was far too trusting. First allowing Kyuzo, the man who wanted to kill him, to join them, and now this woman that may want to kill them too? It seemed dangerous. She didn't like it.

* * *

Kyuzo didn't have to go far to find the solitary woman. She had stopped a few paces away and was now leaning against a tree, arms crossed, staring at the ground. "I wasn't trying to run away." She said in a bored tone. Not bothering to spare him a look.

"I'd catch you." Kyuzo told her seriously, his deep baritone flat and stoic.

"If I ran, you couldn't catch me." She countered, eyes shifting to the lighter blonde beside her.

"Wanna start running?" Kyuzo asked, placing a hand on the upper sword on his back in a challenge. Mai shifted her gaze sideways to him but said nothing.

The two stared at each other for a moment, sizing the other up as opponents often do, before Mai pushed herself off the tree.

"Your friends are going to leave you." She said calmly, walking past the red samurai and back to the camp. Kyuzo narrowed his eyes briefly at the woman's back. He waited a few paces before he dropped his hand from his sword hilt and followed.

* * *

With the two previously absent individuals accompanying the party again, the group set off. The group was mostly silent. Kikuchiyo's complaints about this and the mocking of him by some of the others were the only things spoken. Mai could feel that most of them were uneasy and that they were uneasy about her. She couldn't blame them, really. It was in her nature. "Hey lady," Mai snapped out of her musing to look down at the small girl that had appeared beside her, having fallen back to the back of the group with her, "Are you a samurai?"

"Why would you ask?" The older woman asked in return.

"Because you have a sword and lots of other neat stuff! My sister, Rikichi, and I are looking for samurai to come help our village." Komachi replied excitedly. Mai scoffed.

"Having a sword making you a samurai is about the same as a plow making you a farmer."

"So…no then?" Komachi asked for clarification. Mai didn't answer. "So what are you then? Are you like a super cool ninja or something? I think that would be neat!" Mai looked down at the tiny girl.

"You think so?" Mai asked, a delicate sculpted brow arched down at the small child. Komachi looked up at her wide eyed and Mai remembered that grow men found her intimidating when she did that. She schooled her features back to blank before saying, "I'm no one special."

"Hmm…that's boring! I think you're lying! If you were no one special and not a super cool ninja, why do you have all that neat stuff? And how come we found you by that river all beat up and stuffs?"

"Komachi, come back up here! Leave her alone." The older girl said, scolding her sister. Komachi puffed out her cheeks in anger, but then smiled up at Mai before she scurried up to her sister further away.

"Don't worry about her," Mai's eyes flickered over to the dark skinned man a few paces a head of her, "Komachi is just curious and doesn't know when to quit."

"She's a child. They seldom do." The dark skin man chuckled and looked back over his shoulder.

"Ah, to be young a naïve again. By the way, I'm Gorobei. It's nice to meet you. We so rarely meet new and friendly face." Mai knew he was trying to be nice, so she figured she'd humor him.

"They are few and far between." Mai replied and he smiled_._

"By the way, I know that you've already been asked, but how did you end up the way you did? I was honestly surprised that you were still breathing when Kyuzo-dono found you." Mai's eyes shifted over to the blonde man a pace or two behind her to her right. He didn't say anything. And his expression and eyes were as blank as slate.

"I fell." She said again, sticking to her story. Gorobei smiled again.

"Hm, you don't look like someone that falls often. But I guess it happens to the best of us." He said with a laugh. Mai didn't laugh. She didn't see how that was funny.

Then, suddenly, Mai stopped realizing she had missed something very critical. Kyuzo arched a brow momentarily, before he shifted into a stance with his hands on his swords. "Kyuzo-dono?" The young one, Katsushiro asked. Everyone had stopped now too.

"We're surrounded." A portion of the groups eyes widened and the samurai in the group just seemed to notice this fact.

"Well, what do you know, we are surrounded." Shichiroji remarked casually, snapping out the blade of his naginata.

"Sensei, what should we do?" Katsuhiro asked nerviously.

"Stay on your guard. If we are surrounded, they can attack from any direction. Which one they will decide first will be the problem." Kambei said quietly as to not alert their attackers.

"What should we do with her?" Kyuzo asked, referring to the water priestess, her sister, or Mai, they weren't really sure.

"Lady Kirara, take your sister and Lady Mai over behind those trees. Stay there until we are through." Kambei said sternly.

"A-Alright," Kirara said hesitant to be alone with the new stranger and terrified off the new situation.

A still, eerie calmness settled over the forest as the samurai, swords drawn, waited for their attackers. Just as the silence was about to get deafening a group of attack scouts came barreling through the trees. The samurai broke apart and launched at the attacking mechanics. The sounds of metal being cut, the clank of swords colliding, and scout fire could be heard throughout forest.

Behind the trees, Kirara and Komachi held each other as they watched. "Where's Mai-san?" Komachi asked, just noticing that it was just the two of them. Kirara took notice too.

"Maybe she got scared and ran away." _Or maybe she went back to the enemy now that they've started the attack._ Kirara thought bitterly. She knew she couldn't trust her.

As the two girls watched, they were oblivious to the fact that another scout had come out of the trees and had set its sights on them. The buzz of the laser eyes warming up alerted them as the scouts eye grew hot coil red. "BIG SISTER!" Komachi screamed and Kirara held her tighter. It was too close for them to run. And they were too far for their samurai to help them. The machines center eye almost looked like blinked as it fired on them. Dust and debris flying everywhere from the shot.

"Kirara!" Katsushiro yelled, seeing the great blast, which at that range would have obliterated anyone.

Kirara heard the scream and opened her eyes slowly. She was alive? But how? She opened her eyes fully and looked up to see a black clad blonde in front of them now a few paces way from where they had originally been. She….had saved them. But how, when?

The machine scanned the area, realizing its mistake, and refocused. Its center eye glowed red again as it prepared to fire on them, a red streak shooting out towards its target. Komachi screamed again, clutching her sister tighter. Kirara would have too, but suddenly felt herself thrown to the left out of the line of fire, skidding to a halt further away. The machine, realizing its mistake for the second time, looked around and refocused, recalculating to shoot the object that was making it miss.

Mai glared at the scout as it continued to fire on her. She was getting tired of dodging this thing. The machine tried a new tactic this time, now swinging it's sword in between firing. _Now this is getting ridiculous,_ Mai thought, having to do a back hand spring to continue to evade. She looked over to the samurai still fighting the bulk of the unit. Hacking them down as more kept popping up. _How many did they send?_

The machine moved to cut her down, eye glowing red to shoot her down as well. Mai glared and shift a fraction the side to miss the giant blade. She placed both of her hands on top of the blade and used it as leverage to add momentum to the aerial kick she thrust at the eye; the pointed heel of her boot stabbing it through the glowing orb. The kick sent the scout falling back as its body seized from having its center processor damaged and exploded.

Mai stood from where she had landed, crouched down and prepared to attack again if by some unfortunate miracle the thing got back up. Seeing that that wasn't going to happen, she stood calmly and brushed a few stray hairs out of her face. She stopped her movement and looked back over her shoulder when she heard a whistle as the samurai coming closer, "That was some kick little lady." Shichiroji said, clapping slowly in a show of admiration

"Indeed, one would assume you've done this before." Gorobei remarked friendly with a smile

"You can say that. One would assume that you have too." Mai replied and Gorobei smile turned to a smirk.

"You could say that."

"They came from the west." Kyuzo said evenly, putting his swords away, after he was satisfied that no more enemies were hiding in the area.

"They probably found the old camp and followed." Kambei deduced.

"How do we know that she didn't alert them? That this was her doing?" Kirara said, having released her sister and gotten to her feet.

"If they were with me, they would have killed you back at the previous camp. And in case you missed it, _girl_, they were shooting at me too. And if I wanted you dead I wouldn't have almost got myself shot trying to save you." Mai said evenly, but the layer of frost under her words was clear.

"She is right. You have our thanks for helping Lady Kirara while we were detained." Kambei said stoically but with the faintest hint of a smile.

"Don't mention it. I owe you a debt for patching me up in the first place." Mai replied coolly, with little emotion for someone showing thanks.

"Speaking of patch ups: looks like you sprung a leak," Heihachi noted, pointing to the thin line of blood trickling down her thigh from where a stray piece of shrapnel caught her.

"Oh, yeah, guess I did." She said in a bored tone, one that most wouldn't take to being injured.

"We'll rest here for a moment. I'm sure we could all use a break. Lady Mai, there should be a stream a few paces that way. Kyuzo-dono, go with the lady so she can clean herself up." Kambei ordered and everyone disbursed to relax for a moment in the woodland shade

"It's nothing. It's just a scratch." Mai said to the stoic samurai when it was just the two of them.

"You'll attract animals." Kyuzo said, in a way that spoke 'you're going, so shut up and go' hidden under a horrible attempt to be sincere. Mai narrowed her eyes at him. Not a full glare, but enough to show annoyance at him, and walked.

"You don't need to be here. I can do it myself." Mai said, having taken a seat on a rock and moving the front piece of the modified cheongsam.

"I'm not here to help." He said flatly and Mai smirked.

"You don't trust me." She said, sounding indifferent.

"I have no reason to."

"That's fine. I don't trust you either. I'm fairly certain that those Nobuseri scouts weren't an accident, so that means that someone is looking for you." Mai said logically.

"Got an idea who?" Kyuzo questioned, silently saying 'was it you or who you work for?'

"You're wrong. Our meeting is an unhappy coincidence, nothing more." Mai said in a sarcastically cheerful tone that was completely mocked by her blank face.

"I don't believe in coincidence." He said in his usual tone. Her fighting tipped her off. She was good, very good. She had to have had training, lots of it. She wasn't nobody as she claimed. Somewhere, to someone, she was somebody. Somebody's warrior.

"Well then, perhaps you believe in fate," She said flatly, but didn't get an answer to her dry joke. "It's done." She said cooly and went to walk past him. As she past thought a hand snapped out to grip her arm.

"Make no mistake, woman. If you become a threat, I will kill you where you stand." Kyuzo warned, his red eyes looking vicious and cold as he glared at her. Mai narrowed her eyes back at him. The orbs turning into violent, violet slits that bore into amber.

"Understood, but make no mistake, _samurai_. If you touch me again, or threaten me outside of this moment, I will remove that which makes you a man and _then_ kill you." She hissed and jerked her arm out of his grasp.

Kyuzo narrowed his slightly eyes at the girls retreating form. She wasn't afraid. Of him, of death. This woman stared death in the face, so to speak, and hissed back. Kyuzo smirked a little. This one, this one was indeed going to be interesting.

* * *

Please send me your thoughts or opinions, I would really like to hear them, and I'll try to update soon!


	3. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

After the incident of almost being killed and a quick rest the group had continued until close to night fall. Kambei had told them that traveling in the dead of night, when they couldn't see, was pointless. He instructed them to set up camp, but to do so carefully. "Leave the area as it was and no fire. We can't have Nobuseri scouts locate and track us again."

The group had done as they were told. They each picked a small area in the clearing to sit and eventually sleep. With no fire, their meal had to consist of stale bread that had been rationed since the last village and some fruit that had been found on the way.

"Here, Mai-san, enjoy." Gorobei said cheerfully, handing the woman a portion of bread and an apple.

"What's this for?" The blonde in question asked and Gorobei's smile widened. She sounded almost like a child.

"It's dinner. Sorry we don't have anything better. We would have rice, but our good friend Rikichi left a head of us for the village and mistakenly took the bag with him. Poor guy probably didn't even know he had it till he got there." Gorobei laughed at his own joke loudly.

"You've already wasted a portion of your medical supplies. You shouldn't waste your food." Mai said dully, like it should be common logic. Gorobei chuckled.

"Waste? I wouldn't call it a waste. I'd rather call it…an investment. Your life is just as important as any other. Besides, you just got over some pretty serious injuries. You need to eat, to keep up your strength, and to continue healing. We can't have you starving to death after we already saved you." Gorobei said cheerfully, like _that_ should be common logic, and pushed the food closer to her.

Mai looked at him with peculiar eyes, but hesitantly took the portion offered to her. Gorobei's smile widened, "There's a girl." Mai didn't particularly care to be spoken to like a child or a dog, but she would let it slide. "Hey Kyuzo-dono, catch," The street performer threw an apple up in the air and the red clad samurai above in the branches of the tree she was leaning on caught it. He didn't say anything, or even attempt to eat the apple, just continued to pretend to doze with his arms crossed.

"He's odd." Mai said flatly, again as if it were common logic, looking up at the man in the tree above her head. Gorobei looked at her oddly, eyes blinking, and then burst out into laughter drawing the attention of those around them fully.

"Oh man, the look on your face was priceless! I don't think I've ever seen someone insult someone with such a straight face!" Gorobei bellowed. Mai tilted her head to the side a little at the man's laughing.

"Insult…?"

"Yeah, you did, and you're odd." Kyuzo said in a bored, miffed tone from about her, causing Gorobei to laugh more. The others had joined in on snickering too.

"My, my, this reminds me of when children call each other name to flirt with each other." Shichiroji teased playfully. Kyuzo said nothing, but glared down at the other blonde. Shichiroji smiled cunningly, but said nothing else about it.

"Leave them alone. Mai-san, has only been with us a day. She does not warrant you're teasing. Neither does Kyuzo-dono." Kambei said, like a stern father to his children. At his words some grumbling could be heard amongst the group for having lost their game.

"Hey! Mai-kun! Where did you learn to do neat stuff like earlier? Thanks for saving us by the way! I thought you said you weren't a samurai or anything? Why'd you lie?" Komachi spoke excitedly.

"Komachi," Kirara reprimanded, like a stern mother, but with less effect since she was ignored.

"Just something I picked up." She said flatly, picking at her bread piece.

"That doesn't explain anything!" Komachi whined.

"Komachi, leave her alone." Kambei scolded, getting more luck than her sister. Komachi huffed and crossed her arms, whining to Kikuchiyo about how everyone was mean to her. "Mai has already been asked enough questions over the past day. Leave her be, she doesn't have to answer." Kambei said, more to the group than the small girl, and everyone understood. The warriors decided to talk amongst themselves instead. Mai smiled a little, thankful to be rid of the pestering.

"Mai-san," The dark blonde glance over at the tiny water priestess that had moved over to her, "Umm…here," she said handing her some cloth. "You should keep your leg covered. It would be a sham if it got infected."

"It's just a scratch. You people worry too much." Mai scolded lightly, ignoring the gesture. Kirara's face feel at the woman's harsh tone, and prepared to return to her previous spot. "It's not your fault." Kirara stopped and looked at the woman beside her, "Don't feel guilt over the actions of others." Kirara looked down again, then back up with a soft smile.

"Thank you for saving my sister and me none the less." Mai didn't say anything, but Kirara knew that her thanks was accepted and went back to her previous place of rest.

The group talked some over their modest meal some more. They tried to engage their new acquaintance but to only minimal success. Mai mostly just watched them. You can learn some much from people by just watching them, than listening to their words. Soon they decided to retire for the night. Gorobei volunteered for the first shift of watch duty, while everyone else went to bed.

Mai leaned back against her tree further, continuing her own watch. She felt that these people were precariously trusting. They had to know that she was some sort of fighter, her weapons were in one of their possession, and with her display earlier they had to know. She suspected that the older one knew, the blonde halberd wielder had to too, and the red samurai knew something as well. She looked up at the man still above her. He was different from the others, like a black pearl in a handful of white; the same, but different enough to not be. He seemed far too ruthless for the mission they were apparently going to, to save a village from what Komachi said to her earlier that day. He didn't seem like the saving type, but then again neither was she.

Mai looked back down at the introspection of herself. Did everyone think she was dead? They had to; no one was still chasing her. What had they told everyone? That she was a coward, a traitor, a murder, and that was why she left? Had they held a proper burial for her with no body or had they not in order to leave her soul to wander in torment?

Mai curled her legs into herself, and placed her chin on her knees. She should be thankful. She was free. Free from the obligation, from the corruption, from the lies. Yet despite this she felt empty. Her freedom left her without purpose. She looked around at the small group around her. They all had a purpose and she envied them. She sighed quietly to herself, and leaned back against the tree again. Sleep was what she needed. She could dwell on misery in the morning. Misery, like death, waited for no one.

* * *

Shichiroji hated guard duty. It was so boring. Looking around, waiting for people who hopefully never would show up, and watching fireflies for hours until it was someone else's turn was really not his style. He yawned loudly and smacked his lips. "Well, guess it's Katsushiro's turn now." Shichiroji said to himself, gauging the time by the moon.

The blonde paused after a few steps at the hint of white through the trees. "Couldn't sleep Kambei-sama?" The older man didn't look up, just continued to stare down.

"No, it's not that. Though I am tired, I decided to get some answers on our new acquaintance." Kambei replied.

"Oh, and what did she say?" The blonde asked, taking a seat next to the man. Kambei smiled a little.

"I didn't ask her. I asked her weapons." Shichiroji got a confused look on his face and looked in front of the older man after just realizing the display of weapons in front of him. "You can learn a lot about a person from the weapons they carry."

"Well, there definitely a lot of them." Shichiroji commented loosely.

"Indeed. 27 shuriken knives, 31 senbon needles, a wakizashi sword, that kanzahi keeping her hair up is probably also a weapon to be used in emergencies. The shurikens shape, build, and size have been modified for pristine accuracy and speed; all long distance weapons for stealth. This sword is a one handed type, which would leave her separate hand free to throw more in close combat or pick things up in escape. Her fighting style from earlier speaks of advanced training and skill, speed blitz tactics to confuse the enemy. This is quite an arsenal for one person to have, unless one needed this many for protection."

"You think someone was after her and she knew about it?" Kambei nodded gravely.

"I believe that she tried to leave or escape from something or someone. This is an odd number of shuriken and senbon to have. I think somewhere lost it a fight, which would explain her condition when we found her. It is my suspicion that she is Omashu." Shichiroji's eyes shot open a little wider.

"An Omashu ninja? How can you be sure? I thought they all died out before the war." The blonde said. Kambei shook his head.

"Some were employed like many former samurai. Most went even deeper into hiding. It was already impossible to find them in the first place. Like always, they have been around for centuries in secret, but around. Some of them even played key roles in the war; employed to kill key leaders for opposing sides and even as foot soldiers for the lines. I believe that she was one of these people. She knew where and when to dodge and attack the Nobuseri scout; something that a normal warrior would not. Her weapons speak to that as well. They have been well used and well cared for."

"So what do you want to do Kambei? If your suspicions are correct, she could be dangerous." Shichiroji said seriously.

"Her skill is obviously great. If she is who I suspect, or even if she isn't, her skills could be of great use. Omashu are trained to be exemplary fighters, to trust no one, need no one, an army of one to fight to the death when sent into battle."

"Aren't you worried that with that whole 'army of one' thing that she might betray us?" Shichiroji questioned. Kambei shook his head.

"I suspect that if she wanted us dead, we already would be. Omashu have a code of honor on par with that of true samurai. If she truly is one, I suspect that she would fight with us with great loyalty."

"Assuming your right and assuming that she isn't a bad seed that got thrown out." Shichiroji cautioned.

"I do not sense that in her. Though she is heavily guarded within herself, I do not see malice and ruthless killing for sport in her."

"Like in Kyuzo-dono; even though he wants to kill you you see him as an ally who wouldn't betray you." Kambei shook his head.

"Kyuzo is different, but similar. However, it is ultimately, her decision, but I will ask. Though seven is the number we need, it would not hurt to have more help." Kambei said wisely. Shichiroji scratched his head.

"I guess you're right. I mean, when we picked up everyone else, we had no idea if they were going to be good or bad in the long run and one more couldn't hurt." He agreed.

"I'll ask her in the morning, as well as some questions. Right now, we should all rest and be ready to travel again in the morning." Kambei said, gathering up the items before him to be put away.

"Yeah, yeah, you get some sleep too old man." The blonde said, getting up and going to get Katsushiro to take his place.

Kambei paused after gathering all of the weapons, "Do you object to this Kyuzo-dono?" The older man asked the trees. The deadly blonde man came out of hiding.

"Makes no difference to me," Kyuzo deadpanned.

"I would ask that you still keep an eye on her if she does join. Shichiroji is valid in his concerns, and it is something we should take into consideration." Kyuzo made no sound, but gave a curt nodded that Kambei's request. The older man smiled faintly. "You have my thanks."

Kyuzo said nothing still and then left the older man alone as he leapt off through the trees.

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_Reviews now would be lovely, thank you! ^_^_


	4. Chapter 4

And now Chapter 4! No review yet still :(. To those that are reading I would really like to know what you think, but I still hope that it is enjoyed none the less. Thank you for the adds too by the way! ^_^

Disclaimer: Same

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In the morning, if one could call it that since the sun had not fully risen yet, Mai woke up from her bed against a tree and looked around. A light orange screen covered the earth, giving a warm glow to the tranquil scene. Everyone else was still asleep, catching the last few minute of sleep available before they would have to start their journey again.

Mai frowned a little and looked at her leg. The small cut was being troublesome, having reopened in the night as blood now caked around it. It would need to be cleaned again before they left.

Seeing that everyone was indeed still asleep, she decided to go a clean it up before they had to leave as to not hinder the group's progress. If her mental calculations were correct that stream she used before down the way should still be flowing in the same spot as before, since the stream's start must have started further up north in the direction they were heading.

Mai quietly got up as to not wake the others and turned past the tree line. She took a couple of paces before a sword came down and fell at her throat. "Where are you going?" Mai blinked a little in surprise, not used to being caught off guard, and looked up.

"Have you been there the entire night?" Mai asked the red samurai. She hadn't notice him, which made her uneasy. She could usually account for everything around her in situations like this, yet he had escaped her eye.

"Answer," He ordered, and Mai scolded lightly at him.

"I need to wash my leg. Blood has caked around it, and it needs to be cleaned before we leave. Judging by the last stream, it should still run through here. Can you get that thing out of my face now?" Kyuzo looked down at her through narrowed eyes, but pulled his sword back up and returned it to its scabbard.

"Be back in twenty minute, or I'm coming to find you." _I'm coming to kill you, _Mai translated to herself, but walked forward anyway. As she had guessed, a stream was indeed a few paces from the clearing the group had chosen. She entertained the thought of telling them when she got back so they could replenish their water supplies before leaving, but then remembered that it was not her job. These people were not her friends, nor her mission, she didn't have to do anything for them. This made her remember her recent lack of purpose and place, and had she been a less woman, she would have cried. To Mai, however, the feeling was just suffocating, and she forgot how to cry a long time ago. She really doubted she could if she wanted.

"Lady Mai, may I have a word with you?" Mai looked up at the older, darker man who addressed her and stood behind her. Mai stood, though she said nothing, Kambei took this as a 'yes' since she didn't say 'no.' "Kyuzo told me you were here," Kambei said as he took a few steps closer to her, seeing the expression of confusion as to how he had found her, and extended to her a cloth parcel. Mai arched a brow and opened it. Then her brows furrowed in confusion as she saw her weapons inside.

"I do not understand."

"Your skill is great, Lady Mai. I have witnessed it for myself. I suspect that hand to hand combat is a secondary fight strategy for you, which would say a lot for your primary skills I assume is the weapons you now hold. I am returning them to you in hope that you would use them in assistance to our cause; to help liberate Kanna village from the Nobuseri and destroy them." Mai grew a little wide eyed at the request then schooled her features quickly.

"Too worrisome and trusting of people, a fatal combination samurai," Mai said critically.

"Should I have reason to not give you my trust Lady Mai?" Kambei questioned critically as well.

"You don't know me, which is reason enough. You would bestow your trust in a complete stranger so readily?"

"You are not a complete stranger, just someone I do not know yet. You are not our enemy; if you were you would have struck by now. You are not our assassin; if you were we would be dead. You have the soul and strength of an honorable warrior, not a killer. I know you, Lady Mai; I just don't know who you are yet."

"You do not know who I am, and you cannot." Mai said with a glare, "If you did I would have to kill you."

"So my suspicions are corrected and you are Omashu." Mai's head snapped up to look the older man in the eye, shocked that he knew and would so carelessly throw his life away.

"To see an Omashu's face in battle is to face death, they are not allowed to live to tell the tale. I know the legend well, but we have not met in battle, Lady Mai. We have met under circumstances of fate and misfortune, and with all due respect, milady, I doubt that you are bound to those laws anymore." Mai looked back down, her face now stricken a little with pain. The old samurai was right. "The past is something that we all must live with, but to live in it is to die by it. We cannot dwell on our sins and mistakes no more than we can change them." Mai gave a bitter chuckle.

"So you offer me redemption by the sword. I've heard this fairy tale before." Mai said cynically, and Kambei smiled sadly.

"I cannot offer you redemption, if that is what you seek, but I can offer you a purpose until you find a new way to live or something honorable to die for." Mai looked up at the old samurai, who had a look of nostalgia about him, like he knew this feeling of no purpose and loss. She looked back down with a hint of a slightly bitter smile.

"I cannot guarantee that I will get along with the others, or that they will trust me as readily as you do, and I won't be their friend." Mai said evenly, "But if it's a soldier you want, it is a soldier you will get. I'll do whatever is needed of me, you have my word." Kambei smiled wider at her and nodded.

"That's all I ask." He said calmly and walked past her and back to the others.

Mai watched him go and looked up into the trees, "Are you going to come out?" She asked a loud, and Kyuzo came out of hiding. They looked at each other with narrowed eyes, and Kyuzo jumped down. "I take it you're going to keep following me around." Kyuzo didn't answer but he nonverbally spoke 'yes'. Mai rolled her eyes a little at his stoic manner and walked past him, lifting her leg up onto a rock to expose her entire leg through one of the side slits of her modified cheongsam.

Kyuzo's eyes widened a little and he turned away from the scene. "Are you blushing _great samurai_?" Mai teased, strapping on one of her shuriken pouches around her upper thigh.

"Only whores show their legs with such little care." Kyuzo said scornfully, still not looking at her or her bare, shapely leg. A lesser man would have indeed blushed, and a more modest woman would not have done it in the first place.

"Hmm…I would not know the ways of whores; perhaps you frequent their company more." Mai retorted sharply, with a sort of sweetness that made the insult more bitter. Kyuzo glared over at her, catching her put her other leg back down after it was strapped with shuriken as well, moving to strap the remaining pouches on to her biceps and forearms.

"Kambei's a fool." He muttered

"Agreed, but I will not betray his trust. I accept that you, above all the others, will not trust me. I honestly have no need for it. If my being here is such a problem for you, then here I stand." Mai opened her arms in a display of invitation. An invitation to take her life if he so chose. Kyuzo knew, just by looking at her, that it would not be that easy. She wouldn't forfeit her life so carelessly, but to offer it up to prove a point proved interesting.

"I have no need to stain my blade." Kyuzo said evenly, facing her fully and looking down slightly at her; Mai being a good three or four inches short than him.

"A wise decision, _great _samurai, I also have no need to stain mine." She said returning her arms to her sides and preparing to leave. "Though I have no need for it, I would ask you to at least not be so _dis_trusting of me. I gave my word that I would serve this mission faithfully, and my word is my life. It will be very hard for me to rely on you if you continue in this manner, which will make fighting with you difficult. For the sake of the mission, we should put our emotions aside." Kyuzo looked at her with a bored expression and walked off past her.

"We'll get left behind." Mai smiled a little, despite herself a followed after him. A cryptic man that one. She would have to study him more to decide what to do about him.

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Please review! I would really love to hear what you all think of the story so far. Thank You!!


	5. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

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After the meeting with Kambei, and the encounter with Kyuzo, Mai and the rest of the group continued their journey to the rendezvous village to meet with Rikichi. Kambei had announced that Mai would be joining them from now on and she was rather surprised by the overall happy acceptance of this news.

"I'm glad you decided to join us Mai. The more the merrier I say! You're gonna love our little group. Hahaha!" Gorobei said beside her, having decided to take it upon himself to be the welcoming party.

Mai said nothing, and Gorobei huffed quietly to himself and rubbed the back of his head.

"Man, tough crowd. I don't think I've ever gotten such an unresponsive audience since I performed in Jire that one time."

"You were a performer?" Gorobei glanced over at the slightly shorter woman and smiled. Finally, an interested response,

"Yep! After the Great War, and with nothing else to do, I went into the traveling street performer business. Not like anyone was hiring samurai at the time," Gorobei said with flair.

"Seems like a waste," Mai stated. She didn't think that it was appropriate to use all that training for something so trivial, but who was she to argue. After all, she had used her training for unorthodox manners before as well.

"I suppose, but we all had to make a living somehow. I did it by performing in the streets, Heihachi-dono cut wood to get by, Shichiroji-dono worked in an inn, with a beautiful lady I might add,"

"Hey!" Shichiroji snapped at the taller man.

"Not glorifying jobs for a samurai, but jobs that kept us fed. We all have had to do things that we didn't enjoy to survive." Gorobei continued, ignoring the blonde's snap, and chuckled in good nature.

"Tell me about him," Mai said, jerking her head in Kyuzo's direction up towards the front. Gorobei looked and got a confused expression.

"You mean Kyuzo-dono?" He asked for clarification, and she nodded, "Hm…not much to tell, he doesn't talk much. Before he joined us he worked for a guy named Ayamaro, but that…didn't work out so well. He wants to fight Kambei, so he says he's stickin' around until that day comes." Gorobei said. Mai gave a signal chuckle,

"This man, Kambei, I fear he has a death wish. Taking on strangers who could kill him and samurai who want to, seems like a fool if you ask me." Gorobei smiled, and laughed quietly at her words.

"I don't know about that. Kambei seems to me like a man who sees talent. He wants the best to be by his side, even if the terms are on shaky ground. 'Course, he never has been on the winning side of a fight, I hear, so I could be wrong." Mai hummed in understanding at the darker man's words.

"Well then, I guess we have our work cut out for us then." Mai said with a smirk and Gorobei laughed out loud.

"Look everyone, there's the village!" Komachi announced when the village came into view over the hill.

"Alright, it's about time. I can't wait to find Rikichi and get some rice." Heihachi said, rubbing his stomach in anticipation.

"Once we find Rikichi, we need to resupply and rest so we can continue in the morning." Kambei ordered and everyone nodded in understanding.

The group walked along the well beaten path that attacked at the main road. It wasn't long before a man in blue and red clothing with a tan and red hair was spotted amongst the crowd.

"Rikichi!" The farmer stopped in his pace and turned around.

"Priestess! Great Samurai! Oh I'm so glad you made it here ok!"

"Rikichi what happened to you face?" Kiara asked, seeing a dark purple flush on the side of his face now that she was closer. She touched it and he flinched.

"Forgive me, priestess, but….I was attacked." He said mournfully.

"Attacked? By who? Nobuseri?" Shichiroji asked from behind Kiara, the rest of the group circling around them.

"No, just a group of thieves did. Yesterday they came up behind me and ambushed me. They took everything. The supplies, our money, the rice, everything we had for the rest of the way is gone. I couldn't do anything to stop them." Rikichi said, feeling more defeated by the second. Kambei came over to him and placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Rikichi, I am so sorry. One of us should have come with you in order to protect you."

"No, great samurai, it would have been unwise. Your job is to protect the priestess and Kanna village."

"You're part of Kanna village too Rikichi, we can't have you getting all beat up before the real fight begins." Shichiroji spoke.

"I'm sorry, but the good news is that I still have a room rented for the rest of the night. At least we'll have a place to sleep tonight." Rikichi offered in an attempt to still be helpful.

"That is good. Alright then, the plan stays the same. We'll see if we can manage a way to resupply despite the circumstances, rest for the night, and move out in the morning." The group nodded at Kambei's order then Rikichi spoke up again.

"Great Samurai, what happened to the lady you found? Did she not accompany you?" The group turned around and looked, but found that indeed it was just the seven samurai and three peasants in their mitts.

"Well I'll be damned. She certainty is a sneaky little wench isn't she?" Shichiroji remarked, scratching his head. Kyuzo narrowed his eyes down the road and moved just a fraction of an inch in that direction before Kambei called out.

"Kyuzo-dono, I would ask that you accompany Lady Kiara and the others for protection. Those thieves may return." Kyuzo turn his glare to him, knowing that it was an outright lie from the man, but it wasn't in his nature to argue with a superior order.

"Fine,"

"Alright, the rest of us will meet back at the inn at night fall." Kambei continued and with that the group disbursed.

* * *

When night fall came, the group was tired, hungry, and in only minimal shape better than they had been when they first got there.

"I'm hungry!" Komachi whined beside her sister, rubbing her empty belly.

"We don't have enough to resupply. I don't even think we have enough to get a bag rice for tonight." Heihachi calculated with the small amount of money they had acquired over the day.

"Don't blame me! I did my share!" Kikuchiyo bellowed.

"It's no one's fault Kikuchiyo. This town is just another poor farm town like most these days. These people probably have barely enough to get by, let alone give to strangers." Gorobei reasoned.

"Be that as it may, we'll have to come up with another way to resupply for the rest of the journey now that all of our supplies are gone. Right now, all we can do is rest and start again in the morning." The group nodded at Kambei's wise words.

They were all about to pick their own corners of the room to rest in when a large gust came from a suddenly opened window and a black shadow flew in.

"Holy crap! You nearly gave me a heart attack! What the hell do you think your doin'?"

"I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention." Mai said in a way of apology to Kikuchiyo's yelling and the group as she continued to kneel on the floor.

"Lady Mai, your presence was missed today. Where have you been?" Kambei asked, his calm at her sudden reappearance seeming to put the group at ease. Well…most of the group. She could still feel the heated gaze of the red samurai on her back from his strain of not having followed through and cut her down.

Rather than explaining, she flipped the pack on her back off and handed it to Rikichi. "This is your?"

"The-the supply pack! How-how did you get this?" Mai paused for a moment to remember how she had gotten it pack.

_Mai's feet carried her swiftly to the outskirts of the town, back to the forest tree line, towards the west, where her target was said to be. When she had seen the man for Kanna, Rikichi, so broken and defeated over being robbed, she wanted to help him. That and these men she was after stole their supplies. Now that she was part of the group, they were her supplies, and no one stole from her without paying a price._

_She had asked the villagers where she could find these men. It wasn't hard. Apparently everyone knew where they were, they just did nothing about it. This sickened her a little. That people would allow the helpless to get robbed so they wouldn't have to get their hands dirty. Disgusting._

_Mai stopped a few paces from the cave entrance that the thieves called home. She could her them clear as a bell. They were far too noise. Laughing drunkenly and slapping each other in good cheer of a job well done she assumed. She sneered behind the cloth of her mask. Pathetic._

_Though she could have killed them easily, so quickly that they wouldn't even know, Mai simply walked out from the tree line up to them. Men like this needed to be made an example. Men like this didn't deserve her skill._

_It wasn't until she was practically inside the cave that one of the men finally noticed her. "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" The other men turned their attention to the direction that the other man looked, and laughed quietly amongst them, "What's a fine little lady like you doing in a place like this?"_

_"You have something that belongs to me now. I want it back." The thieves chuckled humorously at here, before the 'ring leader' spoke._

_"Sorry, sweetheart, we don't do returns. But how about a trade?" The men's expressions turn to ones of lechery as they looked at her with hungry eyes. Mai's face broke out in a grimace again, before she smirked._

_"Alright, a trade, my things for your lives," The ring leader burst out into a boisterous laughter which his companions joined him in._

_"So, angry for such a pretty young lady," He said, walking off the small incline of the cave and down in front of her, "The only time I've ever seen a woman so bitchy is when she hasn't had a good poundin' in a while. Is that what's wrong with you princess? Hm? Well don't you worry sweetheart, we'll make sure to take care of that." The man reached out a hand to brush some blonde hair out of her face, but it never got there. It took him a moment to realize that his hand was missing. The move had been so fast and so clean that it wasn't until the pain hit that he noticed he only had a stump._

_The man fell to the ground screaming, clutching his blood arm, and the other men moved to attack his assailant. Flashes of silver, gurgled word choked on blood, the thick sound of bloods littering the ground echoed through the area like a quiet symphony of precision. By the time it was over, and Mai walked back out of the cave, perfectly intact, not a hair out of place, she was carrying the pack that held the Kanna symbol._

_"This could have been avoided. You should have taken the trade." The leader stared wide eyed up at the masked woman, visibly trembling as he did so. "But since you refuse I have taken more than what's mine. Along with your lives, I'll be taken some of your previsions. You'll have no need for them where you're going."_

_"A-A-Are you a demon?" The man asked, pure fear lacing his voice, and Mai smiled at him genuinely behind her mask._

_"No," She answered the swift song of her blade cutting the air and a head rolling to the ground following, "I just fight like one." She finished, to no one in particular since there was no one to hear, and walked back into the cave._

"I asked for it back," Mai replied.

"And they just gave it back to you? This is even more than they stole!" Rikichi asked in astonishment.

"I was very convincing."

"Did they also give you that lovely new coat? It looks nice by the way." Shichiroji asked, with that tone he took when he knew the answer and waited for you to lie.

"I found it," Mai answered. It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't the truth. She found it in the cave along with the rest of the stolen goods the thieves had stock piled. It was a good coat, made of thin, yet durable leather and lined with animal skin for extra warmth. It was solid black and had no sleeves, leaving only a small space of her upper arms exposed now. Perfect for stealth and her throwing knives. The thing fit like a glove too, almost like it was made for her.

"Well, wasn't that lucky of you." Shichiroji said with a smile, one that just screamed 'fake' 'liar'.

"That was very considerate of you to get our supplies back Mai-dono, but you didn't have to do that." Kambei said, secretly letting on that he knew what she had done but neither condoning nor condemning the action.

"It needed to be done. We needed supplies."

"Your efforts are very much appreciated, Mai-dono. You saved us a great deal of time and effort having to restock a new in the morning. Next time, however, keep in mind that you don't have to go it alone. Your part of the team now, we work as a team." Mai nodded silently at the eldest man's words, yet thinking to herself that none of them would have been able to do what she had done. Well, except for….

"Alright everyone, rest now, we have a long journey in the morning." At Kambei's additional words the group went back to establishing their corners in the room. Mai could tell that they wanted to ask more question of her, but would listen to Kambei. She was almost a little startled by how obedient they all were to a man that they had only known for a few weeks at best.

Mai moved from her crouched position and crawled over to an empty spot on the wall. The only empty spot being next to Kyuzo. She had gathered that everyone seemed to fear or be suspicious of him too. He looked asleep, with his legs out stretched and crossed in front of him, arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed, and head tilted forward, but she knew better. The light blonde cracked open his eyes a little to spare her a glance as her back hit the wall. "Don't start. It's the only empty space. Beside, you'll either be asleep or ignoring me, so I don't see how it matters." Mai said, assuming a similar position and closing her eyes.

"You killed those men." Mai's eyes snapped open and she looked over at the man beside her who had reclosed his.

"Yes, is that what you want to hear?"

"Why not tell them?" Kyuzo asked, looking the picture of a man talking in his sleep.

"Because they don't want to know," Mai answered closing her eyes again, reassuming the position of sleep.

Kyuzo's eyes cracked open slightly and he glanced at her again. He pondered her for a moment, taking in her form, her demeanor, her sense of calm after having just killed people. He smirked a little as he reassumed a position of sleep as well.

* * *

_Reviews now would be lovely, thank you! ^_^_


	6. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

So I rewatched Samurai 7 and decided to pick this fic back up for a while. I had honestly forgotten all about it until someone favorited it. But anyway, a few notes before we get started:

1) Now that I have the beginning where I want it, the plot of this story will be folding Mai and some other elements into the already existing story _(Why fix what's not broken right)_. Some parts will be changed for the sake of the story so please don't send me hate mail about "that's not how the show goes!" I get it, but this is fanfiction.

2) A question was raised about Mai's "super human strength". It's not super human, just exaggerated like most of the warriors strength in the show _(there are samurai swords that can cut through mechas, come on!)_

3) I don't have a three but when I have 2 points in a list I feel unfinished.

Now on to the fiction!

* * *

"A three way split. Are you sure that's wise old man?" Gorobei questioned at Kambei suggestion to part the group.

"I feel like that's the theme of a poem of some kind?" Mai asked vocalizing some random thought. She thinks she remembers reading one during her education when she was a girl. She thinks the point was not the destination but the journey. Or the path. Or some vague lyrical triviality that poem spoke. She was always more of a destination person anyway.

"Big groups attract attention. We'll have a better shot this way." Heihachi reasoned while stroking his chin.

"That's my hope. The Nobuseri know too much about us now. We must play against their expectation however we can." Kambei explained. "Now we'll need a rally point near the village. Any suggestions?"

"There's Wing Rock on the way to the bridge?" Kirara offered.

"Wing Rock?" Katsushiro asked in confusion.

"It's an old boulder that's been weathered down into the shape of a wing. It's impossible to miss." The water priestess clarified.

"When me and my friends go play, that's our secret base!" Komachi added.

"Well, that settles it then." Kambei told the group.

"So, how should we spilt up?" Shichiroji asked.

"One farmer per group. They know the land and can guide us there. Katsushiro you're with me." Kambei said.

"Great I'll take the wood chopper." Gorobei said.

"Kyuzo-dono and Mai-dono, I ask that you go with Lady Kirara." Kambei said to the blondes

"Understood," Mai replied. Kyuzo didn't object which meant, she learned, he agreed.

"But…Kambei…" Kirara spoke but stopped when the older man looked at her.

"I have no doubt that Mai-dono and Kyuzo-dono will keep you safe Lady Kirara. Their skills together far surpass anything I could hope to achieve." Kambei told her. Kirara gave a small whimper and lowered her head sadly. She had hoped that Kambei would offer to protect her.

"If it makes you feel better Lady Kirara I'll come with you." Shichiroji offered with a broad smile.

"No, thank you. I don't want to be an inconvenience." Kirara replied.

"Ah it's no trouble at all! Besides, I can't leave you alone with those two. Their brooding silences would kill you before you even made it to the village." Shichiroji added, twirling his halberd staff a few times casually before slumping it across his shoulders.

"Perhaps silence is a virtue you should practice now and again, samurai-_sama_." Mai told him with a narrowed gaze but the older man just chuckled.

"Then it's decided. We'll each forge three paths and converge on the village soon. Fortune be with you all."

* * *

"My divining impulse was right. This underground water system will lead us all the way back to Kanna." Kirara said, staring at the glowing crystal as it pulsed from the energy of the water supply. She looked up at the two blondes who were much further ahead of her and Shichiroji, Kyuzo in the far lead and Mai in the middle between the silent samurai and herself.

"Hey Kyuzo-dono, why don't you slow down? We have ladies with us." Shichiroji called ahead to the other male blond who did in fact pause.

"I don't need considerations great samurai. I'm capable of walking fast." Kirara told him, lifting her nose just a bit as she picked up the pace.

She continued for a few paces before she caught up to Mai in between Kyuzo and Shichiroji.

"You know, I never thanked you. For agreeing to come help our village I mean." Kirara told her after quietly walking beside her for a bit with no recognition.

"Don't mention it." Mai replied not taking her eyes away from the path in front of her. The silence continued.

"Have you always been such a quiet person Lady Mai or did your training make you that way?" The priestess asked trying to be friendly with her.

"I don't know. I've never not been in training." Mai answered with still no change in her.

"Surely there must have been some point. When you were a child perhaps?" Kirara asked nicely with a smile.

"No. Never." Mai answered again. Even most of her earliest memories as a child were training with the other children of the Omashu in hopes of excelling enough to be taken as a pupil, then an apprentice, and finally becoming an Omashu.

"Really?" Kirara questioned and Mai just gave her a sideways glance that conveyed _'do I really have to say it again?'_ "Oh wow, that sounds awful."

"Not really. It's no different than your villages' children learning how to grow rice from an early age. Only one has more blood." Mai said casually because to her there was no difference. Pigeon holing children into being farmer or assassins was still pigeon holing children.

"I wonder if Kambei had the same upbringing." Kirara thought sadly and Mai finally glanced at the smaller female.

"I wouldn't be surprised. Most samurai are legacies. Their fathers were samurai, who's father were samurai. And the chain goes on and on."

"Were your parents' great warriors then Lady Mai?" Kirara asked and Mai shrugged.

"I don't know. I never met them."

"You never met your parents?"

Mai glared sideways at the shorter woman, tired of her questions, and Kirara shrunk visibly.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry." Kirara apologized.

"Of course you did. That's why you asked questions." Mai responded, not really seeming offended but that it was logical.

"No, I mean, I didn't want to intrude but…I don't know you just seem so…"

"Aloof, distant, cold.." Mai offered. It wasn't like she hadn't heard those words before.

"No, I was going to say lonely." Mai paused and looked at the shorter woman curiously. "You and Kambei-sama and even Kyuzo, you all seem to have the same affliction from your battles. Large walls constructed so no one can get in. So you can't get hurt. But those walls still hurt you all because your alone behind your walls and you can't get out because you've pushed everyone away. At least, that's what I think when I look at you." Kirara finished.

Mai turned her head back in front of her before she spoke. "You're wrong," she said and began walking again. "I just generally don't like people." She added over her shoulder and picked up her pace to get a head of her.

Lonely, now there was a new one. Mai had never thought of herself as lonely.

But she supposed colleagues and friends were not synonymous terms. Recent events being proof of that. Still she had thought of some as friends. She had a fleeting thought of whether or not those she thought friends had mourned for her when they thought her dead, but squashed it. She wouldn't have mourned for them. Not because she was heartless or wouldn't miss them. Death was a blessing for Omashu and the only true release from their service.

"You should be back with the girl." The sudden words knocked Mai out of her thought and she glanced to her left at the red clad samurai next to her. She hadn't realized she had been walking so fast as to catch up to him. She reeled her features back in and looked back forward.

"I find her tedium insufferable." Mai said coolly.

"Not the point. She needs to be guarded." Kyuzo told her and she gave him a sharp look.

"There are four of us and one of her. If we can't protect one girl from attackers then we should all just save ourselves the shame and commit seppuku right now." Mai said with a faint, irritated sneer.

Kyuzo smirked under his mask. He thought it was funny. Despite what others thought of him, he had a sense of humor, he just didn't express it in the way other did. Or joy…or compassion…or really any other emotion. Except anger maybe, he was very good at anger. And annoyance perhaps.

"Did you get all these questions when you joined suicide mission?" Mai asked, not taking her eyes off the road as she addressed him.

"No," Kyuzo replied. He assumed he had made quite the….impression when he first met the group. He assumed the others, aside from Kambei and Shichiroji, were too afraid of him to address him directly unless necessary.

"You haven't asked me any yet." Mai said aloud and glanced out of the corner of her eye at the samurai.

"Should I?" Kyuzo questioned dully and Mai shrugged.

"I'm not asking you to, just making an observation." She clarified. "It just seems interesting that you're the only one."

"You're Omashu and you're on my side. That's all I need to know."

"I suppose your right. It would be hard to try and kill me after this if we became friends I'm sure." Mai said casually but it brought the samurai to a halt. Mai smirked faintly at the other blonde's expression. "Don't look at me like that. I've known since you knew I had some measurable skill. And I'm not opposed to the idea. I've never fought someone with a two handed sword technique like yours before. Of course, this is all assuming you survive Kambei."

"I will defeat Kambei." Kyuzo told her, narrowing his eyes seriously. Mai's smirk grew wider and crossed her arms.

"I have no doubt. But are you sure you want to fight someone that's faced death and lived?" She said, a cryptic, challenging sheen clouding her eyes. Like when cats found prey they planned on catching and playing with before devouring them, he thought.

"What's wrong? It something the matter?" Kirara asked in worry as to why the two had stopped, Shichiroji glancing around next to her casually to see if he had missed something.

"No we just realized that since you're the one the knows where they're going, you should lead." Mai informed her, face dropping back into its usual blank slate of calculating calm. Kyuzo arched a brow at her as the priestess smiled and began yammering about something he didn't care to pay attention to. Her gaze caught his again after the priestess and talkative blonde passed, that look back in her eyes again.

He didn't like it, to be outright challenged like that. But, still, a twinge of thrill passed through him at it. It had been a long time since anyone had challenged him on purpose, knowing who he was. Dare he say, he even liked it a little? This feeling this woman gave him.

He pushed the thought aside and began walking again. The quiet shadow still next to him.

* * *

End of chapter 6! I won't make any promises on when the next chapter will be up, but I did have to cut this one in half because it was horrendously long. So hopefully soon...

Reviews would be lovely though, thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however.

A/N: So…someone sent me a message saying that they thought Mai was very unlikeable and Mary-sueish. I don't mind that really. Everyone is entitled to their opinion like everyone else, but it got me thinking. Do other people think this? Because I didn't really think so but apparently this person did. Could some of you give me some feedback on this and let me know. Thanks!

* * *

The journey of the three warriors and one girl took the small group up the slope of a steep incline. Mai noticed the rock face getting more difficult before it tapered off into a plateau of an open canyon edge that over looked a valley.

"Those are our neighbors down there. Kanna village isn't far from here." Kirara told the small group, a small pant to her voice.

"It's a difficult climb Lady Kirara. You're out of breath. Why don't we take a break, just a for a minute." Shichiroji suggested. The water priestess seemed to ponder the idea for a moment until Kyuzo stopped near Mai. She then scowled and turned her head away.

"No thanks. We can rest when we get there. My people are waiting for us. They need me." She said ever serious.

"And here I thought your motivation was getting away from Kyuzo-dono here." The jovial samurai joked.

The younger girl went into a small rant with the other samurai about Kyuzo, but Mai paid her no mind and Kyuzo didn't seem to either.

"She seems to have a strong opinion about you." Mai commented off-handedly in a flat tone to the other samurai.

"Not important." Kyuzo droned. Her liking him was not significant to the mission.

Then, the two stoic blondes went ridged at the feeling of a new arrival on the horizon.

"Scouts" Kyuzo announced and the other two went stiff as well.

"No, don't look." Shichiroji told the smaller girl when she attempted to turn around. The three warriors went on high alert at the intruder's arrival, waiting to see if it would attack. Shichiroji, thinking quickly, knelt before the water priestess and told her, "Here, give me your foot, like I'm your servant. Just do it." Kirara hesitant but then timidly obeyed.

Mai kept an eye on the floating pod out of the corner of her eye as well as Kyuzo. She could feel rather than see how coiled the samurai was to strike. Like a viper waiting for its prey to come in closer.

"Wanna start a fight?" Shichiroji told him in irritation at the sound of his hand grasping one of his sword hilts.

Mai thought that was a stupid question. It was obvious that he was more of a fighter than wait-and-see like Shichiroji. She understood, being of similar stock. But in this instance, she agreed with not causing conflict with the enemy if it could be avoided.

The black clad ninja shifted closer to the red samurai. As anticipated, Kyuzo flinched and moved to run over to the scouter pod and cut it down from the sky. And not even Kirara's pleas of 'great samurai please' would stop him. But Mai would.

The taller woman grabbed Kyuzo's arm just as it landed on his top blade and moved with him into his turn, placing her arm against his chest and pulling his arm down to drape across her shoulder. To the world, and hopefully the scout, they looked like a happy couple embracing. "I know your desire to eliminate the enemy before they have a chance to eliminate us, but it's just a scout Kyuzo. We can't risk the chances of killing a smaller fly and attacking bigger fish. Our mission is to get to the village with the girl unharmed and not alerting any unneeded attention to their destination. Let it go." Mai told him in a low voice before looking up at him through her laces with a serious gaze.

Kyuzo stared wide eyed down at the woman in front of him a second longer, still startled by the suddenly having her pressed against him, before schooling his features and conceding defeat. His hands dropped from his other sword hilt and Mai turned them back around to face Shichiroji and Kirara. Her hands clasped around his upper arm like two people in love would do.

"Well, who would have thought that the soft touch of a lady could soothe the savage beast?" Shichiroji mocked with a small, faint chuckle. The other blondes glared at him.

"Shut up and start walking again _samurai._" Mai bit at him, but it did nothing with Shichiroji smirk as they walked past.

Mai waited a few moments but after feeling no presence of the enemy following them, she dropped Kyuzo's arm from hers and returned them to her side. "I'm sorry I had to do that. You don't seem like someone who likes to be touched."

"Don't mention it." Kyuzo replied. He hadn't minded honestly. Well maybe at first, at being grabbed and all. But after a while he sort of forgot and fell into a sort of calm he hadn't felt in a while by her presence and touch.

He made no mention or indication of this though. And the group continued on.

* * *

After walking for some time more, mostly in silence since even Shichiroji had run out of things to deter the quiet, the small group reached an impasse. A split in the canyon that forged two paths and Mai's mind wandered briefly again to the thought of paths and journeys

"Decisions, decisions, which way to go?"

"The underground channel flows beneath both paths. Either way will lead us directly to Kanna village." Kirara informed the group as she consulted her water crystal. "Excuse me?" Kirara questioned angrily, offended that Kyuzo just walked off down one of the paths without regard for the groups opinion.

"Easy now, let's just go where he wants." Shichiroji said, trying to calm the priestess. But she would not be swayed.

"If it doesn't matter what road we take then I don't see the problem." Mai told them, arms crossed under her breast.

"It's not that! He chooses for us in silence and expects us to follow. Any hope I had of understanding this man is quickly fading. Let me say it again: I am strongly again him coming to my village." Kirara told him. Shichiroji sighed. Mai remained still and silent

Again, it's not like it made a difference anyway. And getting worked up over how the decision was made wouldn't get them to their target any faster. And she had neither the stomach nor the time for mindless chatter and argument.

Suddenly Kyuzo stopped in the road and darted over to the rocky side of the mountain path. Mai quirked a brow at him but then noticed what he had felt. "They're back." Kyuzo announced just before the robotic pod appeared before them in a cloud of dust and debris.

Kyuzo unsheathed his swords and charged at the bot with great speed. His cut was clean and precise. Or it least that's how it looked before the one pod was suddenly two samurai bots.

"No offense, but you better sit this one out Lady Kirara. Behind those rock would be nice." Shichiroji told the younger girl who ran off behind the boulders. "Mai-dono, Kyuzo and I can handle them. Stay with Kirara incase more show up." He added before snapping out the blade of his naginata*.

Mai nodded and darted over to crouch by Kirara, wakizashi drawn to strike.

Kyuzo choose to fight the one on his left first. His swords clanged and banged against the robot's swords and metal body. A decisive strike not yet struck. The second bot ran to help its partner but never made it as Shichiroji naginata blade pierced its head with enough force to lift its wielder into the air. It then was thrown to the side like a rag doll and Shichiroji chased after it.

Kyuzo's blade finally made a serious blow and took off the robots arm. One handed, the bot knew it didn't stand a chance and propelled itself with its thrusters to the other side of canyon clearing to regroup. It sensors picked up on other life forms and turned its robotic head to focus in on Mai and Kirara. The priestess shrunk away but Mai moved to step over her and stab it from behind. Kyuzo raced over to his opponent with great speed and the robot, detecting this, turned its glowing red eye back on him.

The red samurai's blade sliced through the attackers legs like it were butter and it fell back on to the rock it was standing on. Still trying to follow through with its attack it focused on Kirara who it had fallen in front of who tried to futilely shield herself with her arms. Mai's wakizashi blade made a clean slice through the bot's neck and its head went flying. But Mai realized her mistake too late and the command to fire had already been sent and a red blast shot towards them. With no time to pull Kirara away like last time she pulled her behind her in hopes of taking the bulk of the blast for her. If she sacrificed herself, maybe there was a chance the priestess could live.

But suddenly, there was a push that came to her left. It seemed like the world was moving in slow motion as she saw Kyuzo shove her with Kirara out of the way. The blow grazed his arm still and the blondes face twisted in pain before time speed back up and she came crashing down to the group with Kirara.

Mai snapped up quickly and darted over to Kyuzo less than a foot away kneeling on the ground. His blade thrust into the offending robotic head out of spite. "You're hurt!" Kirara cried. And Mai almost said something about her stating the obvious but reframed.

As the two warriors returned their weapons to their respective holsters Shichiroji came over to them.

"You knew they would come back. That's why you wanted to fight before." Shichiroji said. "That was your line of reasoning, wasn't it?"

Kyuzo said nothing but began again down the path to the village. Mai looked after him for a moment but then followed, catching up to him quickly.

"The shot only grazed you. You're lucky it didn't take your arm off." She told him. "It still looks deep. You should get it stitched."

"No thanks." Kyuzo replied tone still flat and void, but Mai knew his arm had to be killing him. But she knew that he probably didn't want to stop and take the time to get stitched when it could be used getting to the village. The mission was more important.

* * *

By the time the sun was setting, the group finally made it to the rendezvous point at the end of the canyon passage way.

"There's Kanna village!" Kirara announced, thrilled to see her home after such a long time.

"Well I'll be. I thought we'd never make it here." Shichiroji said, scratching the back of his head. "Hm, looks like we're the first ones here."

"Do you think everyone else is alright? Could they have been attacked like us?" Kirara asked in worry.

"No, I wouldn't worry. They're probably only a few minutes behind. But hey! Now we can finally have that break I was talking about back at your neighbors. You all go take a seat. I'll watch for the others." Shichiroji said, trying to remain positive.

Kirara smiled, mentally agreeing to stay positive as well. She was about to take a seat on one of the rocks when she saw Kyuzo sitting alone in the on his own rock in the distance. Her eyes fell onto his arm and she frowned sadly before walking over to him.

"Great samurai," Kirara said meekly as she addressed Kyuzo who looked up at her coolly. "Since we may have some time before the others arrive, perhaps I could fix your coat for you. It would be a shame if the tear got worse and it was ruined." She told him, still a little nervous addressing the dangerous samurai.

She was more than a little surprised when the blonde took off his coat and handed it to her. She had expected him to turn her down or say nothing and just walk off to brood. But she smiled and bowed after accepting the garment. "I'll have it fixed right away." She told him and took a seat on a rock and went to work right away.

Kyuzo watched her with his coat out of the corner of his eye for a moment before looking back over the scenery in quiet contemplation.

_So this was Kanna village._ Kyuzo thought. _Don't see what all the fuss is about. From either side really._ He could understand the will of the farmers. Even if it was an awful looking shame of a village, it was their home. He understood the will to fight for what was theirs. To die for it if need be. But it wasn't Kyuzo's place to judge. He was given a job and it was his place to do that job and nothing more.

"Hold still." Kyuzo snapped out of his thought, not aware he had been so lost in them till he had been startled, and looked sideways at the blonde woman that sat next to him. She was pushing up his shirt sleeve past the gash and examined it. Humming quietly after she had taken a sufficient look.

"It's trying to scab. But a scab won't keep it closed with it being this size. Especially with how much you use this arm." She said "Your coat arms not the only one that needs to be stitched up so it doesn't fall off." She told him, threading Kirara's extra needle with thread before wiping the leaking blood away from the wound and setting to work.

"It won't fall off." Kyuzo said, trying not to wince or flinch away as the needle and thread passed again and again through his skin.

"It was an attempt at a joke." Mai told him, pausing in her work briefly and looking up at him through her lashes before continuing.

Silence fell between the two. Mai focused on her work with practiced skill and nimble fingers in order to keep the stitch tight without breaking the delicate clothing thread.

"There," She finally announced, tying off the end of the thread carefully to secure it when the gash was laced with black thread. "I'll take them out in a few days if you want." Mai offered, rolling up the left over thread to return to Kirara.

"I've had stitches before." Kyuzo stated, carefully pulling down his sleeve over the sealed wound.

"I'm sure. If that scar on your shoulder says anything." Kyuzo glanced at the faded scar she was talking about; almost having forgotten it was there.

Mai stood to return her borrowed materials but stopped and looked over her shoulders. "I'm not good at this, but….thank you."

Kyuzo glanced over his own shoulder at her and the two shared a silent moment before Kirara appeared.

"There, all done." Kirara announced and handed the newly repaired coat to Kyuzo with a bow. "Thank you for saving my life great samurai."

Kyuzo paused for a moment before saying in a deep rumble, "Thanks for the stitch."

Mai's back straightened and she turned partially to look at the samurai in astonishment. She knew logically that he was most likely talking to the girl. She needed praise like that. And yet somehow, it felt like he had been talking to her. But then again maybe that's why he had said it the way he did, to thank them both with the least amount of words so he would have to speak less.

Mai chastised herself for even thinking that way and turned. She wanted to talk to Kambei about their next move anyway. But she missed the glance of a red eyed samurai as she did.

* * *

Yaaaay! Motivated to keep writing between arts and crafts! _(I run my own Etsy store. My creativity knows no bounds)_. Thoughts on this chapter, the story, or the comment posted above would be lovely.

Shout out to the lovely MoonDancer89 who reviewed the last chapter, was the 25th reviewer, and who's constant insistence that this story be continued eventually made it happen (lol)

* A naginata is basically a Japanese halberd. I finally found the word for it!


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however.

_A/N: Thank you to those that helped answer my problem and reviewed the last time! I'm glad people are enjoying the new chapter installments and the story so far. Just a reminder that edits and additions have been made to previous chapter. So you may want to check them out before continuing._

* * *

The amber glow of the sun's final rays burned the tree line outside of Kanna village. It was a peaceful, almost serene feeling being in the forest like this. But the warriors clustered in a small clearing knew their job was not to bask in the peace of trees and glow of sunset.

"Slacking off, what a surprise." Gorobei said in a bored tone. He dropped back from his surveillance post and addressed the small group of Heihachi, Mai, and Kyuzo still left in the small clearing. "Have they left?"

"Yeah, just now," Heihachi answered seeing the fertilizer cart come into view and about to cross the bridge. Mai next to him, keeping a hawk like watch on them with her cat shaped eyes. "So uh, do we really have to get in that nasty thing?" He asked in obvious disgust. Mai had to agree.

The thought of being anywhere near that thing curled her nose, but it had to be done in order to get them into the village secretly.

It took some time, but finally all of the group, minus Kikuchiyo who had gone off on his own to prove himself or something, made it across the bridge.

"It's…quiet." Gorobei said when they stopped in the middle of the village. That was putting it politely. The whole village looked like it had been deserted.

"Hey come out. The samurai are here!" Komachi cried, pounding her little fists into a door.

"Where are they?" Rikichi asked out loud, to no one really, voice in obvious distress.

"Hey, quit being rude. The samurai are here! Quit being rude!" Komachi scolded as she knocked on another door.

"What are you doing? The samurai are here. This is dishonorable." Rikichi said, knocking on doors as well.

"So this is our fortress hn?" Gorobei commented in an off handed manner.

"That's a stretch." Mai dead panned after him, hand on her hip as she surveyed the village like everyone else. This place, she thought, was barely worth saving. It looked like it had been so beat down into the dirt by the Nobuseri, poor economy, and a million other factors that the most logical thing to do would be the toss it and move on.

But, then again, she understood the attachment that most people put on things. She had never had a home of her own really. The hidden temple city of the Omashu was more of a fortress than a village and its members had a room to call 'home'. Possessions were never really important to her or faithful members of the Omashu. Sure maybe small things like a token of a memory that was important to them alone, but aside from their weapons and clothes that was about it.

"The samurai are here…so where the hell is everybody?" Rikichi cried out, having fallen to his knees in frustrated defeat.

Kirara just stood quietly in the street before she announced suddenly, "I'll inform the elder you're here." And then quickly sprinted off, her younger sister feebly fleeing after her with her tiny legs.

"Do you think the Nobuseri came before we got here?" Mai asked when the girl was out of ear shot.

"No, if they were here there wouldn't be a Kanna village any more. It's like everyone just ran off." Shichiroji reasoned, scratching the back of his head with his animatronic arm.

"It could be a possibility you know. If the bandits knew we were coming, maybe they threatened the villagers. Scared them off?" Heihachi responded, arms folded behind his head as he looked around at the seemingly deserted village.

"Farmers are not people to abandon their lands so easily. This is their life, not just their homes. I doubt they all left. They probably went into hiding." Kambei rationalized, still sitting as if he were in quiet meditation.

"If the farmers are scared now, how do they except to defend their village when the Nobuseri actually attack?" Gorobei questioned with a raised brow.

"They expect us to do it for them." Mai responded, though she knew the question was meant to be rhetorical.

"The villagers will have to learn to fight for it then. Even with the seven of us, we cannot hope to defend this village without greater numbers." Kambei said calmly.

"Don't you mean eight?" Mai asked him, folding her arms over her chest. She would never admit that she had been miffed at the thought of being neglected to be mentioned, but it was obvious in her body language she was.

"I think he was excluding Kikuchiyo, not you Mai." Heihachi told her with a friendly smile. And the woman seemed to grow calmer.

"Oh, yeah that makes more sense." She replied with a completely blank face, unfolding her arms and placing her hands back on her hips.

Gorobei and Heihachi looked at each other before they both burst into laughter. "Oh man! That straight face of your when you do that! Cracks me up every time!" Gorobei bellow jovially.

Mai arched a brow at them. She didn't get what was so funny.

"I found the villagers!" The group turned their heads down the dirt road path as Kirara came sprinting towards them. "They're at the elder's house." She informed them, panting from loss of breath at having run from one end of the village to the next as fast as she could.

"Thank you Lady Kirara. We will go meet with the elder and your people then." Kambei told her and calmly stood. The group followed the elder samurai as Kirara led them to the elder's hut.

* * *

The elder's hut was not much bigger than all the other huts but enough to tell it apart from the other villagers' houses. It stood next to a mill, meant to refine some of the rice into flour or clean the grains Mai guessed.

"Everyone is inside great samurai." Kirara said and gave a low bow to the group. "I must return home now and give my thanks to the water spirit for our safe journey."

"Thank you Lady Kirara. We will talk again soon after we quell the villagers." Kambei told her. The young brunette smiled and took off into the direction of her home and water spirit shrine. "Let's go then."

The group was preparing to file in, but just as everyone was inside Kyuzo turned on his heels at the doorway and braced his shoulders against the wall next to it.

"Not coming in Kyuzo-dono?" Shichiroji asked the other blonde samurai.

Kyuzo said nothing, but by the fact that he wasn't moving said everything. "Suit yourself then." Shichiroji said with a shrug. No one argued with Kyuzo, but Mai mentally rolled her eyes at him as she went inside the hut. She didn't like people either, but that still didn't mean she didn't have to go. _Stubborn, cranky fool._

When all of the warriors, except for Kyuzo obviously, had entered the room an awkward fog filled the air. All of the men in on the floor stared at them fearfully while they looked down at them curiously. The farmers looked worried like timid deer, curious but still too frightened of danger to initiate contact.

It was Kambei who finally broke the tension and addressed the group placidly. "I am Shimada Kanbei. My comrades and I have traveled a great way at the behest of your priestess, Lady Kirara. She said you wished to hire samurai to help protect your village from the Nobuseri."

An old man, worn down and hunched over with age, grunted and looked at the warriors in his home with a calm stare. "I am Elder Gisaku. Welcome to the village of Kanna. Please, come have a seat. At my age it's hard enough to see three feet in front of you let alone where you're standing." He told them.

Kambei smiled slightly and led the way as the others followed over to the old man at the front of the room.

"Ah, I thought I saw a woman in your midst. Even at my age, a man can always tell when a beautiful woman is in his presence." The elder complimented Mai, who smiled slightly to humor the village elder and also in appreciation of the praise. "Tell me; are you a samurai young lady? A rare find indeed." The elder asked curiously, continuing to stir his pot.

"A kunoichi* sir." Mai corrected him. He didn't need to know that she was an Omashu kunochi. The group knew, more or less, and she placed her trust in them that they would not tell her secret; if they knew the legend then they knew the consequences if they did. But even though the likelihood of her being found her or word spreading that an Omashu, former or otherwise, was slim, old habits die hard and she would still keep the secret even though she wasn't bound to that code anymore.

"Hmmm, a kunoichi then? I heard tales of brave, fierce kunoichi warriors alongside the tales of the samurai during the Great War. Your service, as well as yours great samurai, is appreciated by the people of Kanna village. Even though they are too scared of the Nobuseri to show it," The elder said. "Farmers are foolish people. Always worry about something. Too much rain, too much sun, strong winds, no winds, they wake up worrying and they go to bed the same way." The old man told them, his age and wisdom showing in his words. "Today is no exception. They're just scared, pointlessly scared."

"Please go away!" The warriors turned their heads to look at a sniveling man, bowed down on the floor behind them. "Doesn't anyone remember what the bandits said they'd do to us if they found out samurai had _actually _arrived?"

"I'm not sure what you think we came here for good farmer, but it certainly wasn't to watch you all be slaughtered by the bandits while we do nothing." Gorobei told the man, trying to put him at ease.

"But their bandits," The man said in a feeble attempt to keep arguing.

"Yeah I think we covered that. What's your point?" Heihachi asked sarcastically.

_Foolish farmers_. Mai thought. They were already here so the point of his sniveling was moot.

"You mentioned threats, have they come recently?" Kambei asked the elder in an effort to quell further argument.

"Two days ago," The old man spoke. "They heard we had hired samurai. Said they would kill us if it were true."

"Then great elder, what do the villagers expect us to do now that we're here?" Kambei asked, hand on his chin in contemplation.

The old man lowered his head but before he could answer a commotion came from outside. "Well, look what I found! Rice and women! What do you know!"

_Gods be swift._ Mai thought and filed outside with the others from the elder's hut to see what the big iron fool was doing.

* * *

"Ah, thought you could hide the goods from me but I'm too smart for farmers!" Kikuchiyo boomed in his normal tone and laughed.

A crowd was beginning to form around the fake samurai and Mai shook her head at the scene. This was a great way to instill confidence in the villagers of them. Yelling and screaming and carrying on like jackasses was a great way to gain friends and influence people, she thought.

Kambei and the other samurai pushed through the crowd to get the bumbling red giant. Mai choose to not intervene. If her services weren't needed then she wouldn't get involved. She would watch the show though. It was good fun watching the idiot whine on and on about how he was a samurai. It was plain to any real warrior of training that that wasn't the case.

"If you think you can back out now that were here, you're wrong. Bandits never forgive a village that betrays them." Kikuchiyo told the villagers who all broke out into terrified faces and shaking knees. "But don't worry! Now that I'm here everything's gonna be fine!"

"Let go of me you big pack mule!" The girl, Shino, cried. She apparently didn't appreciate being slung over his shoulder like she was.

"Ok! Don't get quicky sweetheart!" The mecha man told her, setting her down along with the rice bales on his other shoulder.

Surprisingly, the loud man's display had seemed to sway the villagers. Perhaps it was being told outright in such a loud way that finally got through to them that they were here now and it was too late to turn back.

"Well I'll be damn; the big oaf can be useful." Gorobei commented to Kambei who smirked.

"Yes, he can be from time to time. But now that that's settled, we should all try to get some rest. We've had a long journey and tomorrow will be the start of a new day for Kanna." Kambei said wisely.

"Great samurai, please come stay with me! You've done so much for me I would be honored to have you in my home!" Rikichi told them with a low bow.

"We would be honored to stay in your home Rikichi." Kambei told the farmer with a smile and Rikichi beamed at the samurai and led them to his home.

"I know it's modest but…" Rikichi trailed off and hung his head in shame once they had reached the threshold. He was beginning to regret inviting them now that he had been so many places and realized how little he truly had.

"It's fine Rikichi. This is all we need." Kambei assured him with a soft smile. Rikichi picked up his head a little and invited the warriors in.

"I'll make us some dinner. I'm sure you're hungry." The red headed farmer said quickly, seeming nervous at having guests and wanting to be a good host.

"That would be good Rikichi." Kambei assured the man again. The samurai all took seats near the fire Rikichi had stared to prepare their meal and give some light to the dark surroundings.

Mai choose to sit on the edge of the wooden platform that the others sat on. While everyone sat quietly she surveyed her surroundings.

Rikichi's home was really only a large tokonoma* as the front room, though large was an overstatement, and a small back room for a bedroom. The floor was dirt and straw and the tatami* on the sitting floor was worn with age and use. There weren't any decorations on the walls or around the house, but some items did catch her eye.

A second bowl that sat on a slanted self, chipped, and with pink flowers on it instead of blue like its partner. A mirror placed on a small table like a make shift vanity with a cloth over it next to a meager wardrobe chest. A brush meant for small hands and not Rikichi's big ones. Mai sighed quietly to herself and lowered her gaze. _So Rikichi's wife too eh? This man just can't catch a break._

"Lady Mai," The blonde turned her head towards the simple farm that addressed her, "here I know it's not much, but…here." He said and held out a small bowl to her.

"I'm not really hungry." Mai said in reply, trying to be gracious in her decline and genuinely not wanting to hurt the man's feelings.

"Come on Mai-dono. I didn't see you eat all day. You must be starving." Shichiroji said with a smile.

Mai didn't return it and looked away. "I'll just eat later." She said and stood. "I need some air." She added, not looking back towards the group as she went out the door.

* * *

Mai didn't go far. The blonde ninja stopped in a small alley way between two homes a few paces away in case the others needed her. But she just wanted to be alone for a moment right now. She hadn't been alone in a while since she had joined the group and longed for the solaces of being by herself.

That and she was longing for something else as well.

For the first time since she had woken up from her fall into the river, Mai actually missed the Omashu and its ways. The discipline of it, the order, the simple way. Here she had to explain everything and make her point clear. But not too clear as she had to use some level of tact or else be in violation of some faulty law of social graces.

With the Omashu, she could have gone days without speaking to anyone because words weren't necessary. People knew her, they knew what she wanted or meant without having to tell anyone. The ability to speak in silence from having been around people for so long was something she missed terribly now that it was gone.

That and Rikichi's quiet home had sent her into a deep inner depression. It made her think of her room in the Omashu temple. Was it like Rikichi's home? Missing its critical piece, but still having the items that made their house a home in a memorial of sorts to the woman that was gone? Or had they taken all her things and burned them in lieu of her body for the burial ceremony. Or had they just thrown them out and tossed them away like trash.

It seemed terrible the life she lived, to people from the outside looking in. But it was the only life she had ever known. And when it's all you know you tend to miss it when it's gone. Especially the little bit of good.

"They're staring."

Mai snapped out of her deep inner musing and darted her gaze to the samurai standing next to her. Kyuzo looked down at her; though he wasn't much taller than her at full height, when she was leaning he was a good head or so above the kunoichi warrior. He was talking of course about the gaggle of farmers, piled around the corner, though he didn't have to look to see that they were standing there. He didn't have to. You could borrow holes with how intensely the men of the village were staring at the lithe blonde female and their whispers of lecherous appreciation.

Mai stood from the wall and glanced over his shoulder at them. "Hmm, from what I know about Nobuseri rice isn't the only thing they take. I'm probably the first woman they've seen that wasn't related to them or just unfortunate looking in months." Mai replied logically.

It didn't bother her really. She was used to it by this point in her life.

Not that she was vain or conceded but Mai was well aware of the fact that she was a beautiful woman. It had served her well in the past when missions had called for the light stain of lipstick rather than war paint. Omashu women were not only trained to be deadly with their weapons but their looks as well.

"It's distracting" Kyzuo dead panned. He was becoming more and more irritated with their lecherous eyes by the moment. They could at least been more discrete about it.

The blonde female furrowed her brows at him. "Why? It's not bothering me. Why should it bother you?" Mai questioned, not seeing the point of this conversation.

"Because if you're standing here, they're staring at me too." The samurai informed her and the kunoichi arched a brow instead of furrowing them.

"It could be the other way around you know," Mai jeered, trying to look serious but still with a hint of a smirk on her lips. Kyuzo glared at her and she rolled her eyes. "Another attempt at humor. My apologizes _great_ samurai."

Kyuzo intensified his glared slightly before he finally spun around and turned the glare onto the farmers. The men huddled around the corner trembled in terror and dart off in fear for their lives.

Mai shook her head. Really, she didn't see what the big deal was. They weren't hurting anyone. Annoying yes, but none the less harmless. "My, one may think you were jealous _great_ samurai," Mai verbally poked the man again. Kyuzo snapped his heated stare back onto her as if to say the very suggestion was absurd. Mai smirked and lifted her hands in mock surrender.

_He certainly is sensitive this evening._ She thought with a mental chuckle. He was probably just tired, she assumed, and it was making him more irritable than normal. He had no reason to be jealous of a bunch of farmers any way.

Before Mai decided to 'poke-the-bear-again' as it were, the hint of a flicker out of the corner of her eye caught the violet eyed ninja's attention and she focused in on it.

"Kyuzo," Mai said quietly, tapping the man's broad shoulder lightly to get his attention and pointed behind him at the light that disappeared into the forest.

The red eyed samurai turned and focused in on the light as well. His gaze narrowed. And wordlessly the two stealth trained warriors walked off into the forest to follow the light well into the trees.

* * *

It took them a matter of seconds to not only catch up to, but get in front of the man with his lantern in the dead of night.

From the shadows, Mai recognized him as the man who made such a fuss about them being here at the great elder's meeting. She narrowed her eyes at him. What was he doing out so late into the night?

The man was so nervous and worried about strangers in the middle of the night that, ironically, it was how Kyuzo was able to cut him off and take him by surprise by standing directly in front of him.

The farmer balked in startled, scared surprise as he stared up at the younger man. The fire light from his lantern making the usually deadly looking warrior a savage ethereal glow.

"I was uh…just uh going to see how the rice field was doing." The timid farmer said as way of an excuse to get around Kyzuo.

However, before the man could even think to take another step, Kyuzo's blade was already out of its sheath and slicing through the thin paper lantern. It flittered to the ground in a lifeless heap before it last bit of flame burned the pile a new, a lighting the samurai's deadly looking face brighter as he put his blade away. His usually cold red eyes turning a glowing amber in the fire light.

"The war has already begun." Kyuzo told him in warning. His deep voice sending trembles down the man how tried to scoot away on his backside only bumped into something that hindered his retreat. The balding farmer looked up in fear and into the face of the taller kunoichi warrior. Her face was blank despite her arch of a brow but her eyes that flickered in the fire light were like small violet storms as she stared down at him in disapproval like a dog. Manzo screamed in terror one more time before he quickly collected himself and sprinted away.

"I don't like him." Mai told Kyuzo matter-a-factly, crossing her arms with the faintest hint of a sneer on her lips as she watched the man run off into the dark.

Kyzuo agreed but didn't vocalize the sentiment. You could always tell the cowards from a group. And if this man got any more yellow you wouldn't be able to tell him apart from the precious rice fields they were trying to save.

* * *

Long chapter is long. I thought about splitting it in half, but decided against it.

Hope you enjoyed the new chapter! Reviews and feedback would be lovely please!

_*kunoichi: The term for a female ninja, but I debated giving Mai this title as it's not what you think it is. Kunoichi were traditionally not like modern media portray them as. They were actually more like spies and used for espionage, not combat like most would think. But, for the sake of argument, and current ideas of kunoichi I'm using it now._

_*tokonoma: a built-in recessed space in a Japanese style reception or sitting room._

_*tatami: a type of mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms for sitting on._


	9. Chapter 9

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

The next day, before the sun had truly crested and a dense morning fog still hung with the morning dew, Kambei and the elder had gathered everyone to the center of the village for the start of a new day.

"The preparations for our defense begin now." Kambei announced to the villagers. Stern and iron will as ever. "We have been told the Nobuseri have 40 units. Has this changed?"

The village elder nodded slowly with a hum. "We heard from the other villages. 10 more big units and maybe 60 more footmen in yakon combat shells." He told him.

"We should send out a scout soon for exact numbers." Kambei stated. Gorobei nodded in agreement. "Heihachi-dono, you'll be on weapons detail." The older man delegated. The red head smiled and bowed in acceptance of his task.

"Shichiroji, I trust you know what to do. Right?" He told his long-time friend with a hint of a smile.

"Just leave it to me." The blonde replied happily.

"Kyuzo-dono, I want you to gather the village men and teach them to use bow and arrow."

"Understood," Kyuzo replied blankly. The men in question gulped visibly at the thought and Mai restrained the urge to smirk just a little. She must still be missing something everyone else feared.

"Mai-dono" The blonde female snapped to attention at being address as Kambei looked at her, "you're kunoichi skills will be of great use. We'll need some diversionary tactics and land based preparations to stop the bandits before they make it to the village. Get the women to help if need be. And you would know the best locations to begin long range attacks from the village."

"Consider it done." Mai told him. It was the women's turn to visibly gulp and Kyuzo's to repress a smirk.

"What should I do sensei?" Katsushiro asked excitedly. His novice blatant.

"You'll be on guard duty." Kambei told him and the youngest samurai's demeanor visibly dropped.

"Oh...great. Guard duty." He said dejectedly. Kambei stepped closer to him and Katsushiro looked up at his teacher.

"Do not let any enemy scout get away. They cannot know about us before defensive preparations are complete." Kambei told him, voice so full of purpose that the young man's spirit picked right back and he was as determined as ever to prove himself.

Kambei then turned to address the village again. "If we do not work together now, we've lost this war before it's begun. Let us band together against the Nobuseri and defend Kanna village."

The speech had the effect it was desired as one man and then another attempted a battle cry at the end. But it was the wizened old cry of the village elder that really got them going. That made them dig deep within themselves to cry out in rally and find the spirit to defend their home.

"Looks like we got our work cut out for us." Mai commented off handedly to Kyuzo or no one really, sounding almost cynical in that.

They, and everyone else, knew this wasn't going to be easy. But then the best things worth fighting for rarely were.

* * *

Mai surveyed the group of women in front of her critically, a single brow arched and violet eyes narrowed as she scanned them one by one. They all looked intimidated and scared. They ranged in age from very young to very old. As Mai had suspected, anyone who would fetch a fair price at market had been taken and this was all that was left.

"How many bundles of rice do you have in storage?" Her questioned seemed to take the timid women by surprise and they all looked amongst each other curiously.

"Um…a-about 50..or maybe 60 great samurai." One girl answered and took Mai's eyes narrowing as a look of displeasure. It wasn't about the rice really though. It was about the fact that they kept calling her great samurai when she wasn't a samurai. She had taken to correcting a few, but then just gave up.

"Hmm... that won't work then. The rice fields then. How much of the crop is harvestable?"

"Umm…the south west field is ready for harvest soon…but it won't be ready to eat for a while…" Another girl answered just as meekly and confused as the first.

"Don't worry about that. Can the south west field be harvested without alerting Nobuseri lookouts?"

"I'm pretty sure the corner closest to the village can."

"How many of you know how to harvest it?" Mai asked and most of the group raised their hands. "Good, then I need as much a possible cleared by sun down without alerting anyone, stalks and all." She instructed them. The girls and women looked at each other in confusion and Mai sighed deeply. "Rice seems to be the only resource this village has to spare. You're going to be graining it down into finely ground flour and for explosives." Mai explained. All the women balked at the idea of making explosives and disbelief. Mai sighed again, vocally this time. "You all really didn't know flour was flammable and explosive?" They all shook their heads and Mai closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself. _They're just farmer, they're just farmers, they're just farmers. _"Just trust me on this. Go get started, you're losing day light." Mai practically barked and the women seemed to quiver in response before sprinting off.

"The rest of you can start taking gathering any jugs, jars, or bottles not being used get them collected and put them in the mill. We'll also need whatever linens can be spared." The remaining women looking between each other quietly and Mai hissed out a sigh for the third time and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Really? We need containers to put the flour in to _make_ the explosives. The _stalks_ of the rope can be used to make rope and fuses. The _linens_ can be torn up to make bandages for when the fighting actually starts. Does anyone have _any more_ questions?" Mai asked the cluster of females in irritation. She knew they were just farmers, but her patients only stretched so far. She wasn't used to dealing with civilians and, quite frankly, she was terrible at it.

If the women had any more questions they either didn't voice them or were to scared of the irked kunoichi to. The women scurried off to their tasks leaving Mai alone.

"You don't have to be so hard on them." The blonde turned around and saw Kirara standing there with a scowl on her face.

Mai returned the scowl and crossed her arms. "And how do you want me to be to them priestess?" The kunoichi asked closing the space between them. Kirara broke her irritated expression and took a step back from the blonde but it did nothing to lessen the intimidation of her glare of being stared down upon by the taller woman. "Let me make this clear: I am not here to be your friend, or their friend, or anyone else's friend. I'm here to make sure your tiny village doesn't get wiped of the map by Nobuseri. And for me to do that I need them to do as I say so I can be sure that we're ready. And I don't need you telling me how to do my job, _girl_."

The water priestess gulped but tried not to cower in the shadow of the elite assassin. Kirara forgot some time, like with the others, that they took lives without a second thought. If Mai wanted to, at this very moment, Kirara could be slain before she could even think to blink. And the way she was looking at her right now, with a turbulent storm in those violet eyes, it seemed a serious possibility.

But then Mai blinked and the storm was gone. The ridged edge in her shoulder and back disappeared. And she looked like a normal person again and not person who kills. "Are we done here?" The blonde asked, voice calm as ever again like nothing had happened. Kirara nodded fretfully and the corner of Mai's lips jutted up. "Good." She told her plainly and then was off like a flash into the trees around them.

* * *

It was late into the afternoon when Mai returned to the village. She had spent most of the day skirting around through the forest and surrounding area looking for spots to set up distance offensives and strategic precautions for where the Nobuseri would most likely start major attacks.

She had already located Kambei, who was patrolling the village with Gorobei, and informed him of her findings and planning thus far. The veteran samurai thanked and praised her for her hard work and asked her to find Shichiroji to inform him as well since he was really going the bulk of the strategic planning.

Mai had planned to cut through the village, check in on her group's progress, and kill two birds with one stone of the way to see the mecha armed warrior.

But the idea of a quick stop soon became fleeting as she looked up from the ground at the line of farmers standing in front of hay targets nervously.

"What's going on here?" Mai asked stopping by Komachi and her little friend, Okara she believed.

"The samurai is trying to teach the villagers how to fire. It's really kind of funny." Okara told her with a snake like snicker.

"Hey, those berries look good! Can I have some?" Komachi asked cheerfully, seeing a branch of bright red berries sticking out of Mai's pack she had gotten.

"Not unless you want to die. They're wolfberries. They're extremely poisonous." The woman told her.

"Oh never mind then," Komachi said in return and Mai smirked at her. It was always hard to damper little Komachi's spirits.

Mai watched from a distance as Kyuzo began to teach the farmers how to fire.

"Hold your breath as you draw the bow. See your enemy closer to you than he really is. Draw him to you, then fire."

Mai arched a delicate sculpted brow at the scene. Kyuzo was actually a good teacher. And it was the most she thinks she had ever heard the stoic samurai say in one setting which took her by surprised. His deep baritone was as calm and flat as ever as he tried to convey the basics to them. His voice was actually quiet…soothing. Was that the word for it? She could see herself being able to listen to him for hours without growing bored like she did with other people, if he ever bothered to say more than a few words at a time.

The nervous farmers released their bow string with disastrous results. Okara snickered again and Komachi sighed exasperatedly at them. Mai just mentally shook her head.

It was to be expected. It was probably the first time a lot of them had even _seen_ a bow and arrows, let alone hold and try to fire on. It would take practice and time. She was just concerned that the latter was something they didn't have enough of.

"I don't think they're getting any better." Komachi said dejectedly. Mai glanced down at her briefly.

"It will take time. Everyone messes up on their first try." Mai told them.

"So what's with the bag great samurai?" The blonde flinched just a little bit at being called 'great samurai' but focused on Okara none the less to address her.

"Herbs and plants to show the women so we can start collecting medicines before the battle begins." She told her.

"But if you're doing all this work, why would you need medical supplies? You should be able to be the bandits no problem." Okara stated back and Mai arched a brow at her.

"We could spend a hundred years preparing and still there would be casualties. It's a fact of war."

"So we're fighting a war now?" Okara questioned and Mai narrowed her eyes at here.

"Don't you have somewhere else to be?" Mai asked her and the little girl glared back.

"Hey, we were here first. Don't _you_ have some where to be?" Okara shot back and the two went into a brief staring match before the little one relented with a miffed huff. "Come on Komachi, let's go find Kiku and bother him. This is boring anyway" The little girl in question hopped down from her spot happily and the two scampered off.

Mai smirked at them as they retreated. She turned back just in time to see the new line of farmers fail as miserably at shooting arrows as the first. She sighed slightly and decided now was a good a time as any to interrupt.

* * *

Kyuzo knew she was their before she stared approaching. He could feel her presence and then saw her out of the corner of his eye, not wanting to draw attention that he was looking.

If he hadn't already known she was coming, the farmers would have definitely given her away. They all stopped and looked at her like bemused cattle. Blood rushing to their cheeks like school children instead of grown men with some kind of pride.

Kyuzo glared just a fraction at all of them. Not that it had anything to do with her, mind you, but they were delaying their progress by going on like this like they'd never seen a girl before. It had nothing to do with them staring at _her_, no sir.

"I need to talk to you." Mai announced when she reached him, seeming to be oblivious to the effect she was having on the Kanna men. Kyuzo said nothing, just darted a red eye over to her as if to say _"What?"_.

Mai quirked a brow at him but then walked past the stoic samurai, silently telling him to follow. Kyuzo narrowed his eyes at her slightly. The water priestess had been right. That was really annoying. But war was not the time to argue over social propriety, so he ignored it and followed.

A few paces away apparently gave them all the privacy they needed and Mai stopped then turned to face Kyuzo. "How's training going?" She asked him.

"Long," Kyuzo replied in his usual tone. He knew that Kambei had placed him on this task not only because of his skill but he was probably the only one with the calm to suffer fools quietly.

"Do you think they'll be ready?" Mai asked.

"Depends on them," He answered honestly.

"Do you think if I gave them poison arrows that they could kill an enemy with it and not each other?" She asked curiously. Kyuzo said nothing. "That bad hn?"

"They have a lot of work to do." He answered truthfully, but it was to be expected. They were farmers not soldiers.

"Let's just hope they can hit a target that's 10 feet in front of them before the Nobuseri get here." Mai said cynically. "If you have time after practicing, could you bring me some of the arrows for lacing? We can at least use them and some of the better archers too." She told him, glancing over Kyuzo's shoulder at the farmers still cluster in a line at the makeshift training ground. "They won't do any good against the mechas but it should kill or at least slow down foot soldiers and tobito with what's left of their human bodies." The ninja informed him before focusing her violet eyes back directly him. "By the way, I plan on coating my shurikens and senbon too, if you're interested in getting your blades laced too." She offered as is it was an afterthought.

The two deadly warriors stared at each other for a moment before Kyuzo broke eye contact. His red orbs darting to the left. "My blades are already deadly enough." He told her before turning around and heading back to the farmers.

Mai glared at his retreating form. _So much for trying to be nice_, she thought angrily. The blonde ninja huffed quietly to herself then stalked off with her pack to her own group to get things ready. There was too much to do for her to be miffed at the rejection of a frigid samurai. Not that she was though of course.

* * *

Just a public service announcement for things to possibly come: the rating on this story may go up OR I may be separating extra expansion chapters into their own "story" for those that wish to enjoy more mature bits.

Opinions on the above statement and this chapter would be appreciated please.


	10. Chapter 10

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, nor its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

_(Reposted for minor corrections)_

* * *

Dusk was settling over the quiet, tiny village when Kyuzo let the men take a break. They were all probably too scared to ask the fearsome samurai if they could stop, but Kyuzo could tell from the sweat on their brows and minor shakes in their arms from fatigue that they needed it.

"We'll start night training after sun down." He instructed them before they parted, a collective groan emanating from the group at the thought of more work. Kyuzo narrowed his eyes at them as they departed. _Weakness,_ he thought.

When he was training, he would have killed to be given a break. In fact, he had, but that was sort of the point of that 'exercise'. His training had been hard and brutal compared to that of other samurai. But when your training at the precipice of a war, you needed to be ready to kill not just be ready for the idea of it.

He wasn't complaining though. That training was what got his through the war and made him the man he was today.

And despite the opinions of a trending public, he liked who he was.

Kyuzo, now alone, looked at the training yard littered with bows and arrows. _No regard or respect for their weapon._ He thought with distain. But he would let it go. They were just simple farmers. In a few weeks' time he and everyone else would be gone and they could return to their simple lives of rice and mediocrity.

The listless samurai began collecting fallen arrows and bound the cluster he had gathered when his hand could hold no more. Mai had asked for arrows. Now was a good a time as any.

* * *

The walk back to the hut he, Mai, Heihachi, and Gorobei shared was short enough. Rikichi's house, despite his generous offer to let them stay with him, was ill founded. His home was indeed too small for himself, seven samurai, and a kunoichi. They'd have to resort to sleeping on top of each other for them to all fit*.

Therefore it was decided that they would have to be split down the middle. Kambei and the others had stayed with Rikichi and they had been moved to an abandoned home near the end of the village. Kyuzo had heard that the man that lived their committed suicide when his wife and daughters had been taken by the Nobuseri, unable to live with the shame and loss.

The samurai didn't bother knocking when he got to the hut. After all, he had just as much right to it as anyone else, and he assumed he would be alone. He had learned that Heihachi would be focusing most of his efforts on designing and building some contraption Shichiroji was planning so he assumed he would be out. As for Mai he had assumed she would be dealing with the women and getting ready to prep the bridge for demolition. His plan was to just leave the arrows on her sleep mat for her to see them.

So when he opened the door and saw Mai, sitting on her ankles on the floor in deep concentration of her task of poisoning her weapons, her jacket off for the first time since she had gotten it, silhouetted by the golden light of the sun set from the open window, it took Kyuzo by surprise.

He was well…a little…aw struck. The flawless elegance of her as Mai dipped a senbon needle into the thick concoction inside a pale cup then pressed the coated tip into a block of wood with the others with fluid practice.

Kyuzo watched calmly from the door way as if in a trace by the graceful, smooth movements and creature in front of him he had never seen before.

Mai glanced up at him and smiled faintly as she did another needle patiently.

"When you do it like this all the poison all goes to one end and gives you a good spot to hold them from." She told him casually, noticing his interest in what she assumed was her craft. "When I was in training, one of the novices in my class used to do the full needle. That is until he ended up accidently poisoning himself."

Kyuzo said nothing. But the anecdote made him think for a brief moment that perhaps their childhood memories were nothing like the memories of normal children. His memories were filled with swords and blood and death. And those of similar stock could always find each other.

"But I'm sure you didn't come here to learn or trade poisoning weapons technique." Mai added, still not stopping in her task or noticing that Kyuzo had disappeared into himself momentarily.

The blonde samurai head snapped up as he was jolted out of his thoughts, and the impeding spiral that was to come into darker ones, then produced the bundle of arrows for her.

"Aw, for me? You shouldn't have. Asagao* are my favorite, but I suppose a bouquet of arrows is just as nice." Mai mocked the samurai, glancing at him through her laces with a smirk. Kyuzo didn't find it funny. "Are you always so painfully serious great samurai?" Mai asked him, returning to her normally blank mezzo-soprano, while she removed the tie from the bundle of arrows.

"I understand humor. I just don't think you're funny." He told her. He thought Shichiroji could be funny. And the big red oaf Kikuchiyo could be funny, but more because he was a big red oaf then actual wit or humor.

"I suppose. I wouldn't think I was funny either if I was at a loss in a battle of wits. How are the farmers doing?" Mai asked, glancing up briefly from cleaning the arrow heads one by one. Kyuzo's eyes narrowed a fraction at the sting to his pride.

"Meager improvement. How's women's work?" Kyuzo asked. The smirk was plain on his face when Mai's eyes darted up in a glare at him, catching the double meaning there.

"Fine," She strained. "I'm going to have them start milling what they've collected tonight in shifts. With any luck we can be mostly completed in a day and start preliminary placements at night." She told him, finishing the last of the arrows, and beginning the tedious process of lacing them. "Is there anything else you wanted?"

Kyuzo paused long enough to alert Mai's attention and she looked up at him curiously as to why he was still standing there looking at her.

"No," The samurai said finally and turned in a whirl of blood red coat as he exited the small hut to return to his villagers.

* * *

It was nightfall by the time Mai finally finished lacing all her weapons and arrows Kyuzo had brought her. She gave her fingers and back a satisfying crack when she stood from the floor. Being hunched over that long was murder on her long limbs and spine.

She debated on going to check the progress of the rice milling, having relayed the delegation of the task to a woman who had stopped by. It was her hope that while the milling was being completed she could split to group into those making flour and those making bombs. She would also have to see what the women had collected so far in their scavenging, in the village and in the woods.

But first, Mai wanted to meet with Kambei and see if he had anymore assignments for her.

The kunoichi slipped the modified jacket back on. It was indeed useful as she had assumed against the nights chill, though she was thankful for her gloves since it didn't have sleeves.

Mai stepped out of the small hut she shared with the other samurai. The moon and the stars provided enough light to see by, so there were no torches to illuminate the dirt streets. Mai honestly liked it better. When she had gone into different cities for job and tasks given to her by the Omashu, she always hated the bright lights of neon and artificial lighting.

As she began her journey to meet with Kambei, Mai noticed the soft glow of torch lights outside the village. She knew the further ones were probably Heihachi and Shichiroji. She assumed that the ones closer were Kyuzo and the archers in training.

The thought of the archers made Mai's mind wander to the red samurai and her encounter with him earlier.

Something was…off about him in that particular encounter but she couldn't put her finger on it.

Though she had only known the other blonde for a short while at this point, she still thought of him as a comrade of sorts. Though she knew comrade wasn't the right word. They shared a kindred spirit she and he. They were very alike and she found it hard not to be drawn to someone like that. She felt that he probably felt the same, what with how he always seemed to be next to her in a crowd or said nothing when she was next to his. She wasn't a fool. She knew at first it had to be out of obligation and distrust, but she could tell he was over that phase. The lack of rigidity in his shoulders and flinch to grab his sword when she past gave him away.

So it was something, she just didn't know what it was between them just yet.

Mai snorted a little at the thought of friendship between them. Yes, they would make the best of friends, if they could just get over the burning desire to fight each other to the death, she thought.

Mai's musing had taken her all the way to Kambei's and she was about to walk in when she stopped at the threshold by an invisible wall.

Something was wrong. She could feel in in the air. The dark aura that seemed to cloud around the noble samurai was of setting to say the least.

"Kambei," The veteran samurai paused in his work on Katsushiro's sword to spare a look over his shoulder at the ninja at the door before continuing.

"Katsushiro slew his first man tonight. A Nobuseri scout retrieving information from a villager." Kambei informed her. Mai narrowed her eyes at the mention of a traitor. Her blood ran of cold fire as she conflicted with feelings of rage and cold resolution coursed through her veins. "Heihachi is bringing him back now and Kikuchiyo is handling the body. With any luck, they won't realize one of their men has been slain."

"They may not miss _him_, but they will notice the loss in number. And why bring the man back here? Are we to make an example of him?" Mai asked her tone cold. Kambei glanced over his shoulder at her for a moment before returning to his work. Mai's voice had always had a serious tone to it. Like every word she said had purpose, even when she was attempting to be friendly and civil. But this was the first time her voice had ever been what he would consider cold. The solid look in her eyes and the chill of her speech rivaled winter's greatest storms and Kambei could now see Killer-Mai from beneath all that masking.

"No. The man is just a scared, foolish farmer. He does not yet realize the depth of his actions." Kambei told her. He could feel her glare strengthen on his back.

"He's a selfish idiot who was only thinking of himself. He was going to sell out his whole village _and_ us on the thought that he would be spared." Mai spat angrily.

"It's a survival mentality in all to find the best way to survive. And it is not our place to judge him." Kambei told her and her she huffed angrily. Killers among him, strangers with unspeakable pasts, and now traitors, Mai was now certain that the man had a death wish. "I ask that you gather the others and help deal with this for me. Katsushiro will no doubt be looking for guidance in this troubling time."

Mai nodded, a great deal of force in the action to accept such an order, but she would obey. Her head then snapped over her shoulder at the loud noises coming from the forest. "I don't think alerting the others will be necessary." She said and made her way to the village to deal with the horrible man.

* * *

_Thank you to everyone that reviewed the last time and the lovely Guest reviewer. I try to thank all my reviewer individually but since I couldn't with you guys I will do it heeeerree~~~!_

_I really do appreciate all the reviews and comments you guys are leaving. It's really helpful to me and I want to know what you guys think/want out of the story._

_Thank you again! Peace bitches! (Not that you guys are bitches though...)_

**_*Giggity. Your welcome._**


	11. Chapter 11

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

"Please great samurai, please! I was just protecting my land!" Manzo cried as Heihachi dragged him by the collar. Mai was not far behind their arrival and when the red headed samurai tossed the sniveling snake to the ground he locked in on the pale, blonde beauty and slithered over on his belly to her.

"Please, great lady samurai! Surely you will have some compassion! Please save me!" Manzo begged, kneeling before Mai and grasping at the hem of her coat and boot. The woman sneered down at him and quickly ripped away from his needy grasp.

"Why? Because I'm a woman?" She hissed, a thick sheet of ice covering her features and voice as she stared down at the sniveling man. "I am not a samurai and I have no compassion for men like you. If it were up to me your head would already be off your shoulder and on a spike."

Manzo balked in terror and trembled under her amethyst like gaze before he spotted the village elder behind her. "Great elder! Great elder please save me!" He cried crawling over to the older man

Mai glared at his retreating form. _'Just like with the Nobuseri. Fearing death and sacrifice he slithers off to the hope of a new savior to aid him. Pathetic!'_ The look of him almost made her visibly ill and she stalked over to the outside of the crowd that had gathered. She wandered out of the growing circle, wanting to be of no part to this foolishness, but choose a location just outside the mass to watch with distain as the events unfolded.

She felt more than heard the presence of another next to her and she snapped her head over to the left to glare at them, hoping to scare them away. Tactics like that didn't work on Kyuzo, however, and the samurai just looked at her placidly as they had a silent conversation. _'What's going on?' _He conveyed. Mai rolled her eyes and shook her head, _'Idiocy. Just watch.' _Kyuzo, seeming to grow bored with the situation before it began, located a rock for a seat and took it as a perch to lounge on to see how this played out. Mai watched him and wandered over with him. She hoped his quiet calm would soothe her and remind her to stay the inner fury within her, but she knew she would not be appeased so easily.

"How could you do that? They're trying to save us." Rikichi yelled at the man cowering on the ground. He grabs his collar and starts to shake him. "You're such a fool!" The red head is obviously the most upset out of all the villagers. It's understandable really. He went through all that work, risking his life and wellbeing, to bring samurai to his village only to be nearly betrayed by one of his own.

"We all agreed to bring samurai here Manzo. How could you betray the group decision?" A pudgy farmer asks.

"I never agreed to anything ok." Manzo whines dejectedly.

"You could have killed us!" Rikichi scolds.

"What do you mean you didn't agree?" Another villager asks.

"Bandits or samurai, what's the difference? Either one is the farmers enemy! Anyone who cares a sword is gonna treat us like slaves, like animals!" Manzo cries and Rikichi tosses him aside before standing.

"Are you blind to all the work they've been doing trying to get us ready like we hired them to? They saved us countless times in the city and they'll save us now!" Rikichi told him.

"But they're going to tear down the bridge and abandon all the homes on the other side, how is that saving us?" Manzo whines, still trying to find some justification in what he had done.

The mention of the bridge being destroyed sends the villagers into frenzy. The thought of being isolated scares them and one asks if it was true.

"To have any chance of warding of the bandits, it has to be done." Shichiroji answers truthfully.

The mummers of the crowd get louder and an air of discontent falls on the crowd. Mai sees the storm coming.

"I know how you all feel, but the samurai have their plan. We have to trust them." Rikichi says, trying to calm his friends and neighbors.

"But I don't understand!" Manzo cries, literally crying now. "Those rice fields have been passed down from my ancestors! Deserting them is the same thing as death! Tell me elder, how are they any different from the bandits? How?"

"I won't condemn Manzo, I sympathies with his worries." A villager says another beside him agreeing.

"What?" Rikichi shouts in outrage.

"I know you went to a lot of trouble to bring samurai here." The man continues. "But maybe it was a mistake. The have already warned us, if they find out we brought samurai here they'll kill us all."

"That's…right." The equally spineless man beside him agrees.

"You should understand how serious the threats are Rikichi. We've all seen the bandits work. What they can take away." Mai narrows her eyes into a dagger like stare as Rikichi's shoulders fell. _That's just a low blow._

"So of course, you figured the fair thing to do was talk to the bandits in secret and offer up the samurai you hired to save your own lives. Right." Heihachi said, his usually friendly demeanor long since gone as he gripped his sword.

The red head steps closer to the man on the ground who begins to shake in fear again. The crowd begins to clamor in worry as Heihaci stares Manzo down.

"Heihachi-dono," Shichiroji says calmly from the sidelines to stop him and Heihachi turns to him.

"Don't say your actually defending this guy!"

"I'm saying we should like Kambei-sama decided." Shichiroji tells him, still cool under pressure.

"He'll forgive anything and you know it! This is war! We can't afford to be soft!" Heihachi says angrily. "This farmer clearly betrayed us. Once and traitor, always a traitor!"

"Listen-"Cutting him down is like destorying the bridge. It's just the reality of war. You don't let traitors live!" Heihachi said, cutting off Shichiroji.

"He does have a point." Kyuzo agreed flatly adding his two cents for the first time in the "conversation". Traitors were a liability they couldn't afford. It was basic war tactics. Even Shichiroji knew that.

Mai gave a sharp nod, having already voice her opinion on the subject and more annoyed that they were still discussing it when the right answer was clear.

Heihachi moved to strike the man on the ground, but before he could Shichiroji grabbed his hand. The two engaged in a staring match to convey purpose now that words seemed to be of little meaning.

Suddenly Kambei appeared on the scene and Mai stared at him from across the crowd as if to say _'just tell them what to do and be done with it'_ while Gorobei chatted with him quietly.

Before anyone could do anything though a large, loud blur barreled through the crowd and, more or less, effectively defused the scene.

Mai furrowed her brow at the mecha samurai, shielding her eyes from all the dust he had kicked up from ramming his sword in the ground. _Damn bumbling oaf!_

"That idiot! I told him countless time not to swing that sword in the village!" Gorobei scolded, preparing to deal with him, but Kambei put out a hand to stop him.

"Only Kikuchiyo can handle this situation now." Kambei spoke wisely. Mai arched a brow at the older man curiously, but turned her eyes back to the scene to watch the fool carry on like he normally did.

"I knew it'd come down to this! We're gonna put Manzo on trial! Have a little village tribunal right?" He roared, using his bulking height to intimidate the villagers into submission. He then turned on the samurai. "Or wait, maybe we should skip the ceremonies and chop his head off now, save some time! You know nothing about farmers, samurai, so don't even think about verdicts. And you! You lay another finger on that man you'll be dealing with me! And you two! What are you lookin' at?" Kikuchiyo billowed at the silent blondes. Kyuzo arched a brow at the red giant and Mai uncrossed her arms to raise them in mock surrender. He wasn't a genuine threat to her or Kyuzo, with his mediocre skill level, but for once he seemed to be actually making a racket with purpose. She was genuinely interested as to why.

"Oh yeah?" Heihachi snapped back and Kikuchiyo turned back on the red head.

"Just ask the farmers! Take a vote! They'll never fault Manzo for what he did and neither will you!" He told the samurai, glowing red and blowing steam. "Do I think farmers are noble? Gah! They're foxes! Traitorous beast! They'll stoop to anything that makes their lives _easier_! That's why they hired _samurai_ to defend Kanna for them! It's your village, put your own stinkin' lives on the line!" He bellowed at the villagers.

"But oh no, they never do that." Kikuchiyo continued. "They'll sweat all day in the fields for their _darling_ rice. But they won't risk their blood for it!"

"They say 'We have no rice! We only eat meh! We got nothing!' But they have everything!" Kikuchiyo accused them. "Dig under the floor boards, search the barns, or those hidden store houses! You'll find plenty there! Rice! Sake! Salt! Meat! Oh, they pose as meek farmers but their all full of lies! If they smell battle they hunt the defeated! If the winds change they betray you! Farmers are stingey, foxy, blubbering, cowardly, cruel, stupid..murders. Damnit that's what they are." Kikuchiyo fell to the ground to sit, seeming to run out of steam here in a minute. "But who made them into these miserable beasts? You did! You samurai did it to them! You burn down their villages! Destroy their farms! Steal their food! Force them into slave labor! Take their women! Kill them if they resist! So what! What should farmers do? What? I can't blame Manzo! Conniving and pathetic as he is! He's just playing the odds on the bandits won that's all! Cause farmers are corrupt! The bandits are corrupt! And the samurai are corrupt! Why would anyone risk their lives for anyone? But I'll fight for 'em! I'll kill all the bandits…damnit!" And with that Kikuchiyo racked into sobs after a very impressive speech.

_Perhaps he's not such a fool after all_. Mai thought sympathetically.

It was Kambei, of course, who came to him. "You were born a farmer. Weren't you Kikuchiyo?" Kambei said calmly, although the red mecha man didn't really need to answer. The announcement seemed to take everyone else by surprise though, save Mai and some of the other samurai.

She had known before that he wasn't of a noble house or samurai clan deemed supposedly worthy enough to be given samurai training. His attitude and personality gave him away.

Kikuchiyo admitted to it once it had been brought out and was pleasantly surprised that he wasn't met with rejection like he had feared.

"At last the seven are complete." Kambei had said with something a kin to relief. "I had hoped for this. A fighter with a farmer's heart may help us. But for you samurai spirit to shine through you had to understand who you truly are." The wise man told the red giant. "Manzo," He continued and the man in question coward fearfully.

"Please great samurai! Forgive me!" He pled, his daughter Shino begging for his life as well.

"Manzo, you love your land, yes?" He asked the farmer, kneeling to be on his level.

"Yes, yes!" Manzo cried.

"But think about it: is it really your land right now or is it the Nobuseri's?" Kambei asked him. Manzo raised his head and looked at the samurai next to him. "If you truly love your land then fight for it." Kambei told him. "And if you love your daughter then fight for her. Do what you must. Do it for the whole village and be honest with yourself. Selfish deeds are the shortest path to self-destruction. Do not forget, this is not your normal harvest season or village politics as usual. We are waging a war here, and I no longer think of you as a mere rice farmer any more. You are an honorable solider of Kanna fortress."

Manzo looked at the veteran samurai in disbelief but saw that Kambei meant his words.

"And you understand as a solider that for the sake of the whole the bridge must be destroyed and your home abandoned." Kambei continued. "Once the bandits are dealt with, fallen homes can be rebuilt. But heed this warning: if you betray us again I will kill you myself."

"Of course!" Manzo cried, realizing that his life had been spared.

"So the farmers of Kanna are soldiers now?" The village elder asked humorously.

"Do you object Great Elder?" Kambei asked and the man shook his head.

"No, no, sounds good to me."

"Then I assumed this matter is settled?" Kambei asked, but more told the other samurai who said nothing. "Then what are you all doing? We've lost enough time as is. Get back to work."

And with that the villagers all went back to their duties and tasks, reinvigorated by Kambei's words. The samurai followed suit.

Kyuzo let out a huff of a sigh, disappointed in how things turned out. Manzo had already tried to betray them twice now; if one was counting the night they first got there and decided to take a midnight stroll to most likely see the bandits. Men like that needed to be cut down. But he would hold his blade if Kambei told him to. Though he planned on killing him at a later date, right now Kambei was his superior. And he was a good soldier and he would follow orders.

The stoic samurai turned to his right to see how Mai was taking the situation. He had felt the tension around her, not unlike Heihachi's had been, but hers was more subdued and reigned in. This in his opinion, made it more dangerous. Volatile attacks were often careless. Give someone that amount of rage and the clarity to think through it, and they would be a force to be reckoned with. A cornerstone of his training.

When he turned his head though, the space next to him was empty. Kyuzo furrowed his brows, both curious as to where she had went and when and angry with himself that he had not heard or seen it. He looked back to the farmers. The men were still cluster in the square discussing inane things instead of heading to the training ground like they should be.

But for once, Kyuzo wasn't annoyed by that. If they were 'busy' it would give him time to locate the kunoichi who had most likely disappeared into the forest.

And just like the kunoichi Kyuzo was gone before anyone could even think to notice.

* * *

_This took a while to get the dialogue right but I wanted to get it exact because this is one of Kiku's shining moments and one of my favorite episodes. It was worth the tedium of pausing the episode every few seconds to do it._

_Special thanks to MoonDancer (my faithful, helpful story stalker friend (lol)) and Tiryn for their reviews last time. Glad to know that they (and hopefully everyone else) enjoys the story so far. Reviews to the contrary or in agreement or any other feedback is great appreciated!_

_Super secret feels chapter next time!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

The forests around Kanna village were very quiet. The think clusters of large, primeval trees muffled any sound not a few feet away. So in the dark of night there was only the chirp of some night birds, the song of the crickets, the buzz of the fireflies. And then there was the dull smack of a fist punching the trees.

Mai's form is perfect. It was as if she was practicing katas through the air and not against the solid hulk of a tree. She didn't even flinch when her knuckles came in contact with the solid wood of the trunk. She looks calm and serene. Which was honestly scarier than if she would just show what she was actually felling.

Mai hasn't done this since she was a young, frustrated with her training and the burning need to prove herself.

That she wasn't a failure. That she was someone. That she wasn't the trash of some whore or whoever thrown away outside the Omashu temple for the crows to find.

That memory caused her to flinch more than her fist pounding into the bark of the tree.

How horrible it had been to be and have nothing and live with the fact that no one wanted you.

Some would live in crushing sadness over not being wanted.

Mai had just felt angry.

When she was younger, she was angry all the time. It was understandable. Being young and not understanding what your feeling and with no one to guide you on how to channel it properly. And children can be cruel. She was constantly teased and bullied for being an abandoned orphan left at the door step. The one knife they could use to cut the prodigy deep and make up for their own insecurities. Though she was quiet and reserved, she lashed out easily when prodded. She swung to hurt too. The first time she had really hurt someone was when she was six and had pummeled an older boy to the point he had thrown up blood when she had been pulled off him.

She had expected to be thrown out or killed when they brought her before the Grand Mal, the supreme leader of the Omashu. Even at that young of an age, she knew the idea of someone like her being spared was absurd. She was nobody who had assaulted one of their own. But whether it was the Grand Mal's benevolent mercy or perhaps he saw the potential in her tiny body, he had spared her and taken her as his disciple to train.

_"Anger can be good, like any other emotion. But like all emotions, it can also be a poison. If you wish to continue being angry all the time, I won't stop you, little bird. But if you're going to continue, we have to focus that fury into something more useful then bludgeoning fellow genin, yes." _

The sound of a crack echoed back from the tree as her fist pressed into it again. For a moment she had though she had broken her hand. It wasn't her hand though. It was the tree. The mighty oak's bark finally splintered under the continued force of Mai's punches. She stopped, looked at her fist dully, and started punching again.

When she was little, punching things like trees was a way she had learned to purge her soul of these emotions. But it wasn't working. She was still so angry. But still so filled up with anger she still felt empty. So she just kept hitting until she could feel something.

A hand suddenly snapped out to grab her wrist. "Stop," Kyuzo said calmly, looking at her with that typical impassive calm he normally exuded.

Mai just blinked at him. She was surprised. One: that he was even here. And two: that he had stopped her. Her strikes were quick. It was hard to catch her. But then again, when you're hitting the same thing over and over again, the chances of you getting snagged do tend to go up.

"Leave me be." Mai told him coldly. She wanted to be alone, with her thoughts and this tree and she would hit the damn thing till it came down or her hand broke whichever one came first if she felt like it!

"You're bleeding." The samurai told her still just as calm.

Mai blinked again in surprise. She looked at her fist and then the tree, the blood from her spilt knuckles running down both from her new round of punching. Funny, she hadn't even noticed the pain.

Kyuzo, seeing that she wasn't going to assault the defenseless tree anymore, let her wrist go.

"What do you care?" She asked him, cradling her busted knuckles to her chest and flexing her long fingers to make sure there was no other damage. There wasn't.

"You can't fight with a broken hand." He told her plainly.

"Correction: I can't fight as _well_ with a broken hand."

"Don't be foolish."

"I'll be how I see fit _samurai_. I don't need a lecture from someone like you."

"It won't do any good. He made the decision." Kyuzo told her finally and Mai looked at him briefly before huffing out a sigh.

"It's a stupid decision and he's a fool that could get us all killed."

"The farmer or Kambei?"

Mai smirked a little as she looked back at Kyuzo, recognizing by his own faint smirk that it was his merger attempt at snide humor.

"Both I guess," She told him. She could feel the anger inside her losing momentum a little. She sighed. "I hate traitors. They'll get us all killed."

"Like they tried to kill you?" Kyuzo stated more than asked.

The red samurai wasn't a fool. When someone had this much anger about something he knew it had to be personal. Judging by her level of anger this wound had cut deep and was fresh enough to have salt rubbed in it.

Mai's cat shaped eyes flashed with fury and she glared at Kyuzo with deadly violet eyes. Her anger picking up speed again.

"Don't presume you know things about me _samurai_! My life prior to our happy misfortune of meeting is none of your business!" She lashed out, unable to control it this time like all the times before.

"Was it you then?" Kyuzo asked, still placid, but egging her on intentionally. He had never seen her like this. So fiery with rage that she look like she would explode. Her mask in shattered pieces that littered the ground. He found it...exciting. He was actually anticipating her lashing out to strike him, physically or verbally. He had a fleeting thought about how this might make him crazed or something, but dismissed it quickly.

That got the flood gates to open.

"How dare you accuse me of being a traitor to my kind?" Mai yelled at the samurai. She couldn't stop herself now. Her loyalty was her life. And who was he to judge her?

"So it wasn't you then?"

"Of course not! I would never betray my own kind!"

"But someone did."

"That's none of your business!"

"What happened?"

"I can't tell you!"

"They tried to kill you."

"I know that!"

"Why?"

"Because they killed the Grand Mal!" Mai's hands clapped around her mouth as if it would put the words back in her mouth. But it wouldn't. She had said it. It was out there now for the whole world to see.

In a moment of heated fury and indignation at the samurai's impassive expression and badgering questions she had broken her vows of secrecy to the Omashu and declared classified information to an outsider.

She felt sick. Her life had been dedicated to the vows she took and for the first time in 10 year she had broken them so carelessly in the heat of a moment. And now that they were broken, it was like her life with the Omashu was truly over.

The blonde pressed her back against the tree she had been punching for support. Her legs felt weak and her body broken as she tried to unsuccessfully will away hot tears from the corners of her eyes.

She hadn't cried since she was five.

No, she thinks she might have cried briefly when she found the Grand Mal's body in a pool of blood on the floor. But everything had happened so fast she couldn't remember.

She slumped to the ground, even the trees support unable to keep her up under the weight of everything that was swirling around inside her. All the anger, the hatred, the depression, the shame. Without the Omashu, who was she? They had even given her her name. She wasn't Mai without them.

The blonde saw movement out of the corner of her eye and looked to see the samurai sitting next to her. He wasn't close but close enough, with still about a foot or so of space between them. "What are you doing? Go away! Leave me alone!" The blonde woman snapped at him. But Kyuzo didn't move though.

He just sat with his back against the tree, not looking at her or saying anything. He just sat. Patiently, like he was waiting.

Mai was so wracked with too many conflicting emotions to argue. So she just let him sit there quietly as silence came between them.

"I don't want to talk about it. So don't ask me." She said after a while, hating the weakness of her own voice. "And if you tell anyone about this I'll kill you." She added, trying to sound intimidating through the wet sound that clouded her voice.

Kyuzo said nothing, but his eyes moved over to her. And where she had thought she would she pity or loathing of her weakness was just his normal calm and understanding.

He felt for her. Empathized with the mourning kunoichi.

This feeling of purposelessness and self-loathing was something all true samurai faced after the war, no matter what side they were on. They were obsolete. They had been replaced. And before you could find work as a thief, or a performer, or a bodyguard, you had to have a moment of shattering before you could build yourself back up again into the person this new world needed you to be.

He knew this temporary crack in her mask wouldn't last. She was strong. So he would give her this moment. And he would wait.

* * *

_I had sooo many conflicting feels with this chapter. Did it make sense? Was it good? Did it work with the story? Were the characters still in character? Till finally I went "lsdjglkjhgskdlh fuck it!" and posted it. _

_If there was ever a chapter I would like feedback on, this one was it. Please, please, please review! Thank you!_

_Hugs and Kisses to MoonDancer and my-forgotten-rose for reviewing the last chapter._


	13. Chapter 13

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

The early morning fog around Kanna was much thicker than usually. Given the villages location it wasn't usual for the dense gray to settle over the tiny village. But today the fog was so thick it was almost impossible to see.

Mai didn't mind though. The fog made her task much easier and the likelihood of being caught next to zero.

The blonde ninja skittered around and under the beams of the Kanna bridge like a spider, stringing the long cord of flour bombs like the threads of a deadly web for it to be able to demolish the bridge when the fighting started. At the strategy meeting it was she that had suggested that if the bridge was to be blown they should do it during the fighting when the Nobuseri Yukan tried to cross since they didn't have enough thruster power to get them over the gorge without it. It would kill two birds with one big boom. Gorobei had also decided that the shock and all of it would also be affective despite conflicting notions of it alarming the farmers.

"I think they're going to be more scared of the big guns and forty plus bandits barreling at them then a little boom." He had said. To which Mai agree but reminded him it wasn't going to be a little bomb if it went off right.

The last of the coil wrapped around the final beam, the final jar explosive wedged securely in the crevasse between the wood and the rock wall, before Mai slithered through the bridges under carry and swing herself out and over to land on the walkway with the grace of a trapeze artist.

"Nice work little lady," Shichiroji commented with that perpetual smile on his face and light clap of applause. "That was quite the impressive display. You have about as much agility and dexterity as a spider monkey. And the fact that you do all of that without a rope or anything, you should go on the road with Gorobei when this is finished."

"The rope makes you fall. It leads you into a false since of security that it's ok to fall because you'll be safe. Take it away and you'll never fall because you know you can't." Mai told him, reciting the lessons she had learned when scaling sheets of rock and over training obstacles for practice.

"Hmm…that's an interesting philosophy. You Omashu are way too hard core for me." Shichiroji noticed the micro flinch in her expression and his joking exterior fell. "What? Was it something I said?"

"No, I have more work to do." Mai said, tone blank but in a rush.

"Hey, wait come here a minute." Shichiroji said, placing a hand on her shoulder as she past to stop her. "Look, I know that it's hard when you leave the life you knew behind. Trust me, I do. And we've all have tried to be sensitive to that given the circumstances, but just because you may not have the name anymore doesn't mean that you're any less valuable. Your skills and training are still yours and it's what is going to be what saves this village. Not the name."

Mai looked at the older man calmly but inside her mind was reeling. Had Kyuzo told him about what had happened a few nights? No, she doubted he would have. Besides when would he have found the time? He spent all his waking hours training Kanna's would-be archers. If he wasn't doing that he was with her at strategy meetings or had collapsed in exhaustion on his sleep mat not three feet from her own the few hours of precious sleep they took a day.

Was it really that obvious that she still felt lost even though she had accepted and mourned the loss of her old life and found this new purpose to live for? Probably just to people like Shichiroji. Behind his friendly disposition and bright blue eyes she knew that he was the most observant of the samurai, perhaps even more than Kambei or herself.

"I have more work to do." The darker blonde said. Her voice was thick with civility and professionalism. Shichiroji just gave her a soft smile.

"Alright, duty calls I guess. But if you want to talk I'm here to listen." Mai knows that Shichiroji knows she'll never take his offer. But the gesture was still appreciated.

She gives the samurai the faintest smile, a seemingly meaningless gesture, but one that spoke volumes for someone like her to him before she spirited away in a black shadow like blur.

Surely there was more work to be done somewhere around there.

* * *

Surprisingly enough, no, there wasn't more work to be done around Kana.

In a model of efficiency and fear that the bandits would show up before they were ready, the village had been finished getting armed to the teeth earlier that morning.

The women had more than effectively amassed a supply stock pile for the battle to come and some extra bombs should they need be.

Mai's ground traps had been set. Kambei and Katsushiro were discussing accommodations for the women and children with the mikumari. Gorobei and Shichiroji were on watch. Kikuchiyo was off doing something that was probably not watch like he was supposed to be doing. And Heihachi hadn't left his post at getting the ballista ready since he started.

Now came the waiting. Mai always hated the waiting before a battle.

The kunoichi had found herself wandering through the village, past the archery practice field. She paused under the pretense of watching the archers continue to practice and that she just felt like sitting in this particular tree. Or at least that's what she told herself.

But it was really hard to keep telling herself that when her cat shaped eye continued to wander over to the red samurai next to them.

Before the eventful night a few days ago, Mai had accepted that she was beginning to grow a certain admiration and fondness for the quiet samurai. His brooding nature somehow appealed to her and she was becoming acutely aware that his strength and handsomeness was also appealing to her. She could accept that fact. She was nothing if not practical to a fault.

But before that night she had thought she knew where they stood.

They were attracted to each other. But not in the way most would think. They were attracted to each other's strengths, not just a mutual physical attraction, but still had a burning want to fight each other. Like beta fish*.

Now, she was confused. Kyuzo's simple gesture of compassion had thrown her off. It was to be expected. She was rarely on the receiving end of simple gestures, let alone compassionate ones. But for someone like Kyuzo to do something like that it had alerted her perspective of him greatly. Though her opinion of him hadn't changed overnight to think him some saint, it did leave her wondering why. Why would he do that? What was the purpose of it? And what was this feeling it gave her when she thought of it or looked at him?

Before she could dwell on these thoughts and the red samurai any longer, Mai's attention was diverted to the sound of loud hacking in the distance.

At first, she had thought it was the youngest samurai Katsushiro. But she knew that even at his novice skill level he wasn't so careless with his swings to the point of butchering the art.

So she decided to investigate.

* * *

Rikichi stood in the middle of a small clearing in the wood swinging a battered, old katana around wildly. He gave loud grunts and yells as he swung. His mind's eye seeing Nobuseri in front of him to hack down.

"You're doing it wrong you know." Rikichi flinched in startled fright and swung around. Mai's hand shot up to stop the blade with the shuriken that seemed to appear in the palm of her hand.

"Ah! Mai-sama! What are you doing here? I could have killed you!" Rikichi spat out in a flustered rush.

"Doubtful with a sword and swing like that," She told him flatly. "What are you doing Rikichi?"

"I…I…Ah! I wanna learn how to defend myself! I want to fight for my village! I'm sick and tired of people fight my battles for me! I even have a woman fighting my battles for me!" Rikichi blurted out angrily.

Mai arched a brow at the farmer, still miffed that the society outside of the Omashu put such inphasess on gender roles and combat. The farmer began to immediately floundered, realizing what he had just said.

"I-I'm so sorry! That came out wrong! You're a great warrior Mai-sama! Truly! Really!" The red head apologized in a rush. But the blonde said nothing.

Slowly she approached the red head, who trembled at her intimidating presence but stood firm to face the consequences of insulting someone with such skill.

"Your stance is horrible. You need to be firm but lose. And you're holding the blade too tight. Stop being afraid of your blade." Mai told him kicking his feet with hers to adjust his stance before effortlessly sliding up behind him, her front to his back, and placing her hands over his. "The key is to hold your blade like you would a bird. Firm enough to not let it leave your grasp, but light enough to let it breath." She instructed him, Rikichi's grasp adjusting in her own as the rigidity in his shoulder subsided.

"Don't think of your weapon as a tool. Think of it was an extension of your body with a life a pulse just like the rest of you. Your job as its wielder is to channel that energy into something useful." Mai recited the lessons taught to her at a very young age in her typical calm mezzo-soprano, which held an almost soothing quality to it now.

With Rikichi's hand still in her gentle grasp she slowly lifted his hands above his head before swinging them down with him in one fierce move.

"Better, but you'll still need a lot of practice before you're ready to fight Nobuseri." Mai told him, releasing the farmer and stepping away.

Rikichi turned around and looked at her, the hint of a blush on his face before he cast his eyes down. "I…thank you Mai-sama. For everything you're doing." He told her and gave her a small bow of appreciation that caused the blonde's brow to jut up again.

Mai doesn't think that someone has ever thanked her for her service. Mostly because the people she interacted with outside of the Omashu were targets rather than civilians. Even in the Omashu it had been rare. It was their duty and honor to serve.

The compliment did give her a certain…satisfaction though. Like her life wasn't so meaningless without the Omashu. That she wasn't so meaningless.

Before she could dwell on this warm feeling of fleeting comfort, Mai's shoulders and back went ridged as her violet eyes dart to the west staring through the dense fog and over the ridge. She knows that smell. It's been burned in her mind since the war like their smoke does the air. _They were coming._

The lights of the air ships and the shrill echo of the alarm ringing throughout Kanna came mere seconds after this thought. Yes, they were coming. Today was the day the war would officially begin.

The kunoichi leapt up into the trees and sprinted across the branches like a walk way until she popped out of the tree line at the entrance of Kanna village. "How many?" She asked immediately upon coming up to Kyuzo who had arrived first with the archers.

"A lot." Kyuzo says, for once being as serious as the situation required.

Mai looks past the samurai and her eyes widen a fraction._ Oh yeah, they've brought more than plenty…._ Mai thinks grievously.

"We did make the bandits angry and they're gonna kill us! I just know it!" Manzo whines upon seeing the Nobuseri coming closer.

"Manzo! How can you say that after all our hard work!" A villager chides him.

"Are you kidding me? Just look how many there are! There's no way we can beat them! No matter what the samurai have taught us!" Manzo replies. "Maybe we should beg for mercy now!"

"And you think they'll forgive us after we've been training so long to defeat them? We have to make sure that they aren't alive to punish us later!" Another farmer cries.

The raven kunoichi and the red samurai turn upon hearing the footsteps of the other warriors getting closer.

"There's more than expected, but our mission is the same Get into position. Disperse yourselves among the villagers in the archer line up. Wait for Heihaci to fire the ballista before attacking." Kambei ordered upon arrival and the warriors all nodded before taking off in different directions.

There are several tense moments as the Nobuseri come in closer. Finally they stop and Mai really hopes that they are in the line of fire for what is to come.

"This is no ideal threat. Drop your weapons and cross the bridge one at a time!" A voice from one of the airships tells them.

His answer is the sound of the rock cliff breaking away and the loud whoosh of the ballista arrow flying through the air at them. The large arrows crest near the bridge and plummets at a shattering speed through the right eyes of one of the airships. The ship topples under the force, kicking up dust and debris in its wake.

The villagers cheer at the small victory, but Mai and the others know better than to celebrate so frivolously.

Originally, the Nobuseri were annoyed. Now, they would be pissed off.

"Wait…look over there." A farmer says suddenly and the villagers stop cheering to see the bandits coming towards them.

"The…They're coming!" Manzo shouts.

"Stay calm!" Kambei tells them before anyone else can lose their composure. "All archers: ready your bows." He orders and everyone disburses.

Mai gathers the bow and quiver assigned to her and falls in line on the left. She wants a clear shot of the bridge and the bombs underneath.

"Ready?" Mai turns to look at the other blonde. His amber eyes looking at her seriously and she can tell that he's really asking _Are you alright? Are you over the other day? I need you focused._

Mai says nothing, but continues to look at him as she casually lights the tip of her arrow and notches it in the bow. _Yes, I'm ready. Are you?_

Kyuzo arches a brow at her briefly and takes his place in the line up a few farmers down.

The Nobuseri in yakon fighter shells barrel towards the few warriors in and farmers. As soon as they begin to cross the bridge Kambei shouts, "Fire at will!" And a flurry of fiery arrows sore through the air.

Despite the primitiveness of using bows and arrow in comparison of the more advance technology of the Nobuseri, the strategy is more than affective. The arrows pierce the fighter shells easily. And under a flurry of arrows the yakon fighter shell bodies pile up on the bridge.

Mai, seeing that the position and opportunity was right, adjusted her shot to the exposed corner fire bomb. She hit the target precisely and the erupting explosion was loud enough and strong enough to shake the rock wall.

"Wow…flour bombs. Who knew?" Shichiroji commented wide eyed skepticism.

"To be fair, Nobuseri carcasses make great explosives too." Mai responded with a dry humor.

"Don't stop. Keep firing!" Kambei ordered and the flurry of arrows resumed.

The new slew of arrows follows the collapsing bridge and Nobuseri down the canyon beyond sight.

With the bridge gone and the one viable route for the Nobuseri to currently cross gone, the archer stopped and looked down the canyon pit as the smoke began to rise from the blown Nobuseri.

"For all their weapons and metal and might, not one could endure a wall of fire and a hard canyon floor." Gorobei said lowly as they looked down.

Mai agreed silently. It was Occam's razor. The simplest answer was often the most correct. And truly not even the best of them could survive a deep rock canyon.

Suddenly Kikuchiyo came bounding toward them. "Aw seriously! You guys were awesome!" He shouted in glee.

Kambei turned with a deadly look in his eye as he drew his sword and removed Kikuchiyo's head from his body. The farmers all flinched and shook in fear as the samurai re-sheathed his sword before turning a cold eye to the crowd. "Bring me a rope."

"G-Great samurai! What are you doing?" A farmer stammered in fear.

"Hey, don't worry! It takes a lot more than that to take down the great Kikuchiyo!" The red mecha samurai bellowed, but the momentum of it lost from the high pitched voice that it now came with.

The villagers all blinked in surprise, now realizing that Kikuchiyo was not dead but confused as to what was going on.

"We'll need to get above the Nobuseri air ship. The best way to do that is to be captured." Kambei explained.

"And the best way to get captured is to surrender." Gorobei added with a smile.

The farmers all balked at the statement and Gorobei realized his mistake. "No, no! Don't worry, you're only faking surrendering! When the bandits come you all offer up the samurai and bundles of rice the rest of us will be hiding in as a peace offering. Once on board we can destroy them when the inside." The former street preform explained.

"Gather up a dozen bundles of rice. We will need some to conceal the ones we'll be hiding in. The Nobuseri will no doubt inspect their prize." Kambei told the farmer and a group left to get the bundles as instructed. "Kyuzo, Gorobei, Katsushiro, I want you all to be the live bait."

"Yes sensei!" Katsuhiro said.

"Of course you'd want the best preform on the front line." Gorobei gloated with a chuckle.

Kyuzo said nothing, but grunted his approval. He didn't want to get in a cramped rice bundle anyway.

"The rest of us will be in the bundles. Assist the farmers so we can get this done quickly." Kambei ordered as well.

The remaining three warriors moved to due as instructed, but before Mai could continue Kambei called out. "Not you Mai-dono. I have a special task for you."

The kunoichi stopped and looked at the older samurai with an arched brow in curiosity and concern. _Special task?_

* * *

_And the war has begun! Yaaaay! (Is that weird, that I just cheered for war). _

_Just so everyone knows I'm starting up another abandoned fanfic here soon for Ouran Host Club. Not really of effecting importance to this story, but interesting to note._

_Special thanks to MoonDancer, my-forgotten-rose, stela, and Tiny Cherie for their reviews and help last time_

_*The beautiful beta fish are known for their aggressiveness towards other beta fish. Even males and females, which is rare in the animal kingdom due to most animals need to mate. Beta's, despite mutual animal attraction to each other, sometimes kill each other before getting a chance to copulate due to this aggressive behavior._


	14. Chapter 14

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

As predicted, not long after the first attack from the village, the Nobuseri approached to engage the villagers. The Nobuseri descended on the village from the remaining airship and the villager coward on the ground.

"Please, we beg you. Let us explain!" Rikichi groveled to the giant mecha bandits surrounding them.

"Very well, you may try." The bandit leader, Syusai *, says in a cold tone.

"We realize now that we made a terrible mistake! We were hungry and scared we'd starve! But we had no right to do what we did! We had no right to turn against you!" Rikichi said pathetically.

"And how did you make such and error in judgment?" The mecha questioned.

"We forgot that we're merely farmers. And that we're tenants of this land and have no right to it! We hired samurai to fight the Nobuseri for us, but we didn't know how war would be! And-and now we owe them too much and we just want our simple lives back!" "We were selfish and greedy and thought we didn't need you. Foolish! We should have known we'd never be able to make it on our own! We realize we don't deserve your mercy, but we beg you to believe us! We'll never try to go against you again! We swear! Please say you'll spare us just this once great Nobuseri! We want to give you this rice as a peace offering. And there's more to come!" Rikichi begged, clasping his hands in front of him and low to the ground.

"And also," Rikichi lifted his head and looked over his shoulder as a woman in Kanna village attire was brought forward by two villagers as she struggled in their grasp. "This is Shino, Manzo's daughter. She is very pretty and is one of the last women in our village of prize. Please take her too as atonement for our sins!"

"Hmph! A pretty peasant! Don't make me laugh!" Syusai scoffed then focused his sensors on the seemingly terrified young woman offered to him on her knees. "Hmm, well, at least she is pretty. Prettier than the last one I'd say. When the last batch said that this worm had a beautiful daughter he was hiding, we had all thought they were exaggerating like foolish farmers tend to do." The giant spoke then addressed the villagers again. "We'll take your rice and this woman, whether it's for peace or not. But we want more than that. The samurai, where are they?" Syusai bellowed.

"They're here. We offer them to you as atonement for our sins and our shameful display of arrogance! Please accept and forgive us!" Rikichi said holding up Kikuchiyo's severed head in a basket and bowing with his fellow villagers.

Tanomo sighed heavily. He seemed bored with the villagers. Then he hummed in interested as he focused in on the red samurai. "Kyuzo? Is that you?" He asked before zooming in on the blonde. "I can't believe you've fallen so low."

"Likewise," Kyuzo replied calmly. Tanomo does not take the retort as easy though.

"What did you say? Is this what you call fallen?" He cries and smashes his sword into the ground in an almost childish display in an attempt to scare his former comrade. It doesn't work. "Your nothing but a stray dog bought by the likes of peasants!"

"Before I counted seven samurai all together, where are the other three!" The giant bellowed.

"We killed them." Rikichi said meekly. "We shot them down when they tried to run."

"Really?" Tanomo questioned in disbelief.

"They taught us how to use bow and arrow. When we realized how wrong we had been to betray you we turned on them! They were outnumbered and we shot them as they tried to escape." The red headed farmer explained.

"We're not convinced." Another giant mecha, Sobei**,** hissed.

"Seize them!" Syusai ordered.

"Yes sir!" A mimizuku footman* said and a group of them descend on the samurai and the girl, taking possession of them from their 'captures'.

Another pierces one of the rice bundles and inspects the grains as it flows out of its straw container. "So you've been hiding rice from us." The mimizuku says and the farmers cower before them. One draws its sword and the others follow.

"Wait! What are you doing?" The farmers cry as they become surrounded by black samurai with drawn swords.

"You miserable cheats will serve as a lesson for the other villages!" Tanomo tells them.

"Hold on a minute! If you kill us, who will grow your rice?" One farmer asks.

"Oh there are plenty of other villages." Sobei tells them shrewdly.

"You may have had a change of heart, but you also showered us with arrows and killed our men! We cannot let such defiance go! We have no choice but to brutally punish you for these transgressions against us!" Tanomo cries.

The farmers become worried and begin to beg for real before the Nobuseri as the mimizuku approach slowly.

"Please wait!" In the distance the water priestess emerges and falls to her knees before the Nobuseri. "I have an offer for you." Kirara tells them. "I'm offering to give myself up to whatever fate you choose for me in exchange for my people's safety!"

"You wanna trade your life for theirs?" Syusai asks critically.

"That's right." Kirara tells him honestly. "You have a right to be angry. And I realize that it might be satisfying to destroy this village. That would be the easy thing to do. But you Nobuseri were once great samurai so you know a warrior doesn't always do what's easiest. If you allow yourselves to be angered by mere farmers you will show weakness and fear! You'll have nothing distinguishing you from the merchants or the samurai! You'll be-"Silence!" Syusai yells and Kirara balks in fear momentarily.

"You think you can get what you want by just flapping your lips!" He says and points his giant sword at her before laughing in amusement. "Hahaha! I like that. Well little girl, you belong to us now too. Bring her to me!"

"Who would have thought you could appease your rage by making us nostalgic about honor?" Sorbei says ruefully as Syusai collects the bundles of rice before they fly back to the air ship with their captives.

* * *

"Put the girl in a cell! But bring the water priestess to me. I have something she might like to see." Syusai instructed with a dark chuckle once they were on they were aboard the airship.

"Yes sir!" The mimizuku footmen reply and two of them separate Kirara from the rest of the group. The others push rest towards the holding cells.

"Get in there girl!" One of the Mimizuku yelled and shoved the young woman inside a cell and slammed the door shut behind her with a loud iron clang.

The loud clang of three other iron doors closing echoed through the chamber and the buzz of the rice bundles being brought up.

"Don't get too comfortable! You won't be here long!" One of the Nobuseri tells the samurai before he and his comrade leave.

Once they are alone and a few minute tick by to make sure they would be kept that way, Gorobei begins to slip out of his bindings. In the small distance the sound of rice bundles being torn open echoes through the room.

"Oh man, now I know how the rice feels." Heihachi said as he stepped out of the rice.

"With as much as you love the stuff I figured you'd enjoy it" Shichiroji, now free as well.

"I do like rice." Heihachi confirm, rubbing the back of his head. "In fact, once we finish up here I could use a bowl or two."

"Heihachi, get to the engine room. You know what to do." Kambei orders, in no mood for small talk.

"Sure thing!" Heihachi says and the group of four set off for their phase of the plan.

Alone again, Gorobei gets the attention of a mimizuku passing and knocks him out to get his keys. "Well then, I guess it's time to earn my keep."

Freed from his cell, Gorobei moves to let his other comrades free.

"What's the matter? You haven't untied yourself yet?" Gorobei questioned Katsushiro who was still bond in his cell.

"Yeah, well, I didn't study circus trick like you." Katsushiro remarks in a miffed tone. Gorobei hums and goes to check on Kyuzo. The blonde samurai was just sitting calmly in his cell, free of his bindings, waiting to be let out.

"You gotta be kiddin' me. No fun at all!" The brown skinned samurai complains.

"Stop right the-gah!" A second mimizuku appear to try and stop the escaping samurai but quickly silenced when a pair of long legs launched out between the bars and quickly snapped his neck like a twig.

"Wow! That was some trick Mai-dono. You'll have to show me how you do that sometime." Gorobei said as Mai pulled her legs back into the cell and released her hold from the grate above.

"It's not that hard." Mai said plainly, removing the kanzashi and a pin from her dark blonde hair to pick her cell lock.

Gorobei laughed loudly. "There you go again! That never stops being funny!"

Mai still didn't what he found so funny, but let him be. As the lock click open, the other were let free as well.

"Kambei's plan failed. We still don't know where they took the other women from the village once they were abducted. Can I have my things please?" Mai asked calmly as she tossed her Kanna village outfit back in the cell like it was trash.

Gorobei went over to the bundles and dug Mai's things out of the rice and handed them to her as she undid the ties that held up her modified cheongsam. It had been hidden under the Kanna outfit the whole time. With the black garment back in its proper place, her boots and weapons back on, she felt like herself again.

"We should get going. I'm sure the others are making quite the racket without us." Gorobei said once everyone was free.

The kunoichi prepared to follow but a hand fell on her shoulder before she moved. "Yes?" Mai asked the cool blonde samurai as he appeared next to her.

Kyuzo just stared at her for a moment before her opened his hand. Her kanzashi, with its brilliant shine, lay in his palm. Mai blinked briefly as she looked into the taller samurai's eyes. "Thank you," She said and took the tiny blade, sliding it back into its place in the tight twist on the back of her head. "Gods know we'll need all the help we can get."

Suddenly, the holding chamber flooded with mimizuku and yakan soldiers barreling toward them.

Mai responded quickly pulling out several shuriken from her leg pouches and throwing them at the approaching Nobuseri. All of the small blades hit perfectly and the first wave went down. But more kept coming.

The samurai and kunoichi launched themselves at the oncoming enemy. Gorobei picked up a sword from a fallen mimizuku and attacked yakan fighter shells. Kyuzo attacked hand to hand and easily stole the swords off of two black mechanical samurai then proceeded to hack the remaining ones around him down. Mai practically danced around her enemy, gracefully dodging attacks and littering the area with bodies as she stabbed the enemy with her shuriken or cut them down with her own stolen sword.

Katsushiro just stood in awe of the talented, veteran warriors who demolished the enemy despite their fewer numbers.

"Here," Gorobei told him as he threw the younger man a sword. "In case you feel like helping out."

The green haired man looked shell shocked at the sword his hands, trembling as he held the blade and remember what it's propose was.

Suddenly one of the mimizuku singled the startled man out and attacked him, sending Katsushiro flying. A small group crowded around the pinned in samurai prepared to strike.

"Katsushiro!" Gorobei cried, moving to save him.

"I don't need your help!" The younger samurai cried back, but Gorobei was unconvinced.

He planned to help the novice samurai but the sound of a shuriken flying close to his head and impaling the mimizuku who was about to take his own life stopped him.

"Let him be. He needs to do this on his own." Mai told the older samurai as she swooped in, collected her shuriken, and spirited off again in a flash to fight the rest of the enemy.

Gorobei sighed and continued to battle with the experienced warriors.

It took Katsushiro a minute, but when faced with the danger of his own life in the balance, the young man saw red and attacked the mimizuku around him.

His performance was sloppy, unprofessional, and completely barbaric, yet still affective. He screamed and cried as he cut his enemy down and only seemed to calm after beating the corpse of a black mechanical samurai with his bare fists until finally stabbing it while the seasoned warriors watched.

When Katsushiro finally stopped, he looked up at Gorobei who looked down at him in distain. "Let's go," The former street performer said blankly and headed for the exit with Kyuzo.

Katsushiro panted heavily and moved to stand, but his legs felt heavy. He was taken by surprise when a hand reach out to him and at the other end of it stood Mai. "Next time, try to do it a little cleaner. You're exerting too much energy and we've only just begun." Mai told the young samurai calmly, as if she were critiquing the way he cooked rice rather than the way he killed people.

Katsushiro, still confused and surprised, carefully took Mai's hand and the older woman hoisted him to his feet.

"It'll get easier." She told him carefully before she turned on her heels, giving him a view of her lean back. "Let's go."

* * *

The battle in the command center had already started by the time Mai and Katsushiro reached the others.

Though it may have taken the young samurai a minute to get his sea legs, so to speak, Mai wasted no time and thrust herself into the fray.

This was her element. It was what she was best at.

With her stolen katana, Mai crossed blade and fist with the Nobuseri in her path with deadly precision and might. A yakan fight shell whizzed toward her, but Mai quickly leapt into the air, landing on its top, and using the leverage to propel herself in the air and pepper senbon and shiruken into the mass of her enemy.

"Watch where your aimin' those things little lady!" Shichiroji yelled as he took out three black samurai with his naginata at once.

Mai landed on the ground gracefully and paid the blonde no mind. He hadn't been any real danger. She wasn't aiming for him. He wouldn't get hit. The ninja whizzed across the fallen bodies like a shadow as she her weapons and continued attacking. They were all she had. She couldn't get more like she used to. And besides, she would never be so careless as to not police her weapons.

The cries of the warriors attacking and the enemy falling echoed off the iron walls of the airship like a song.

"He guys, save some for me!" Kikuchiyo yelled and looked for his sword.

The red samurai quickly mounted the taller giant mecha Nobuseri and easily dispatched the blue raiden into a heap of scrap.

"KYUZO!" Tanomo screamed angrily and the blonde calmly turned to him as the giant's sword swung down on him.

"Kyuzo!" Kikuchiyo cried in worry, but it was short lived as the samurai cut through the giant blade with his own and diced it into piece up his arm.

"Kyuzo! Go for his chest, it's his weak point!" Kambei yelled from bellow.

"Cursed samurai!" Tanomo yelled began to fire on the other fighter futilely.

"I hate guns." Shichiroji commented and sprinted over to Kambei to protect his longtime friend.

Mai dodged the fire quickly. She threw her katana, piercing a yakan that sizzled at the attack, and used the blade as a stepping stone to leap into the air. The ninja, with her impressive speed, scaled the other side of the mecha giant quickly with ease.

"Kyuzo!" She yelled to the samurai, holding out her hand for him to take.

Kyuzo placed one blade in between his teeth and leapt into the air. He grasped her hand and with Mai's help he was propelled towards the chest cavity of the Nobuseri. He easily cut it open to start hacking inside.

The blonde ninja leapt down, landing on a yakan and killing him in the process, while narrowly missing the explosion that followed the giant's destruction.

"Mai-dono watch out!" Kambei cried out to her.

The violet eyed blonde looked just in time to see piece of Tanomo's former body toppling toward her. The kunoichi moved to the left but realized her error a fraction of a second later as the falling giant changed course when it hit a rafter, seeming intent on crushing the woman as its last act.

Mai blinked as her vision was suddenly flooded with red. Confused, her head snapped up and looked into Kyuzo calm, serious face as he looked down at her. He had saved her. For a third time none the less. In a split second before she could evade the crushing mass again the samurai had swooped down and spirited her away

Mai stood to her full, proper height and opened her mouth to say something. A thank you perhaps? Or maybe agitation since she didn't need to be saved? Whatever it was it was quickly forgotten and her expression once again deadly as her arm shot out by Kyuzo's head and two shuriken flew out instantly into the heads of approaching mimizuku.

Kyuzo blinked at the quick movement and looked over his shoulder at the fallen enemy that almost killed him. "Thanks." He said flatly.

"Likewise," Mai returned and easily slipped out of her protective samurai shield only to be knocked back into him as the airship rocked with an explosion. The blondes looked at each other in startled surprise. The ship was destructing at a much faster rate than anticipated. _This isn't good…._The kunoichi thought.

"You…in the Great War, who did you serve?" Syusai asked Kambei. The fatigued samurai didn't answer just looked at the mecha giant heatedly. "From your tattered appearance I'd say you fought on the _losing_ side." Syusai chided, probably to get a rise out of the samurai. But Kambei didn't respond.

Heihachi suddenly appeared from bellow and yelled for everyone to move as an explosion chased him.

"Shichiroji, find a way out of here!" Kambei ordered and the blonde sprinted off to find them an exit.

Their escape took the form of a tree in the canyon side. Shichiroji used his grappling hook to grasp it and pull it toward the failing air ship to make a makeshift bridge.

Mai went first, easily able to sprint across the tree and up the canyon some to help the others cross once on the other side. The canyon echoed with more rumbled and explosions. It was a miracle that they all made it across unscathed when the airship finally went down in an enormous cloud of black smoke.

"So this is it hn? This is how it all ends for Shichiroji. Hanging off the side of a canyon? I must be losing my touch." The blonde whined, back to being his joking-less serious self.

"What? You want me to drop you or something, 'cause I will!" Kikuchiyo told him.

"Hey come on! You don't have to do anything rash!" Shichiroji cried back, flailing a little and not finding the joke funny.

"Let's get out of here and to higher ground." Kambei told them seriously and the group began the daunting task of scaling out of the steep canyon.

* * *

They all collected quickly at a ledge near the top. Kambei offer a hand to Kirara who declined it sheepishly.

"This looks bad!" The priestess commented upon seeing Kambei's injured, bloodied arm.

"It looks worse than it is." He assured her as she recovered the wound in cloth.

Mai came up next. Despite being first out of the wreckage she wanted to be last in case anyone else fell. She was sure that her training and speed would be the only thing between their safety and a rocky death.

She lifted herself with both hands to crest the plateau, but stopped when she saw a pair of boots in front of her.

Her violet eyes turned up through her lashes at the samurai before her. She knew it was Kyuzo before she looked up. He was the only one with enough sense, in her opinion, to wear heavy canvas boots. She had looked up because she was curious as to what he was doing there. There were plenty of other places to stand if he wanted to look over the edge. Why choose the space right in front of her?

A thought crossed her mind and her expression flashed with surprise for a second before she sneered a little. "Please," Mai scoffed quietly as she hoisted herself up. Had he really thought she would need his help like the farm girl? His assistance earlier had been appreciated, but now he was just being ridiculous. She didn't need to be saved.

Kyuzo looked over his shoulder at the other blonde as she walked past him without another word. His gaze narrow a fraction and he turned back away from the cliff edge under the pretense of being satisfied with his findings.

He knew it was foolish to worry about her like Kambei did that girl, but still…._Damn woman._

Suddenly the warriors all went on high alert as the sound of an enemy falling up the canyon reached their ears.

"Persistent little bugs aren't they!" Kikuchiyo yelled as the group prepared themselves for a fight again.

A red pod flew up the canyon and crested the ridge in minutes. "Tobito!" Katsushiro cried as it split apart and fell on them.

Heihachi and Shichiroji took one half of it while Katsushiro took the other. They moved faster than Mai remember the last ones moving. Soon, two yakan and three mimizuku had descended on them as well.

Kambei shielded that water priestess before he, Gorobei, Kyuzo, Mai, and Kikuchiyo dispatched of the extra assailants quickly. After fighting dozens to one, one on one was too easy. "Back to where you came from!" Kikuchiyo yelled at the yakan as he kicked the defeated shell back down the ridge. Suddenly a shot rang out through the air and clipped the cyborg samurai.

"A sniper!" Katsushiro shouted as everyone dropped low to the ground to dodge fire.

"Now that's a problem," Gorobei said in concern. "In this fog we can't tell where the shots are coming from."

"So what do you suggested now?" Shichiroji asked, but everyone knew he was asking Kambei.

The older samurai looked over his shoulder at his friend and said, "We send out a scout."

"No problem! Just leave it to me!" Kikuchiyo volunteered.

"You'll be too loud." Kambei told him flatly and the red cyborg huffed angrily.

Mai stood silently and headed to the rocky canyons ledge. It was obviously a job for someone of her particular skills. Who better to assassinate an enemy sniper than an assassin?

"You sure you wanna go little lady?" Shichiroji asked carefully. Mai just looked over her shoulder at him with a glare that silently told him: _Are you serious?_

"Mai is best suited for the job." Kambei confirmed before turning to her. "But you shouldn't go alone. The sniper isn't the only Nobuseri down there. "

"I'll go with her sensei!" Katsushiro offered. But before he could move a curve blade stopped him in his tracks.

"You'll die." Kyuzo told him and stood to stand next to Mai.

Mai arched a brow, but knew that Kyuzo would be best for the job. _Well, second best._ She thought cockily.

Kambei looked at the two stealth warriors with a serious look and Kyuzo just sneered at the older man. Mai wanted to roll her eyes at the almost childish act from the serious samurai but just pulled up her mask and moved toward the edge to start their decent. Kyuzo looked at the ninja for a brief second and pulled up his own mask. They stood side by side, looking at each other carefully, before they spirited over the canyon's edge, dodging spinner fire in perfect synchrony until the fog swallowed them from sight.

"Don't worry, they'll be back. He still has a score to settle with me." Kambei told the group as they all looked down the canyon after them. "The smoke and mist will be their allies."

* * *

_Long chapter is long! But splitting it up wasn't something I was interested in (mostly because it wouldn't make sense). Any critiques, feedbacks, or reviews would be greatly appreciated. ^_^_

_* Syusai, Tanomo, and Sorbei are names I found on Wikipedia for the mecha Nobuseri's names. It did not say who was who so I guessed._

_* Mimizuku footmen are the black, humanoid fighters that have faces that look like owls. Yakan are the big, iron tea kettle bandits. Tobito are the red pods that split apart into twos. Yay internet and watching shows in subs AND dubs!_


	15. Chapter 15

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

It was cold and dark at the bottom of the canyon. The noon sun couldn't make it down the rocky depths so the fog was still thick and has a hazy feel to it like at dawn. Kyuzo isn't bothered though. He has fought through worse and his coat is thick enough to stay off any chill.

The crimson samurai stalked through the mist of the canyon with deaf steps. Despite his boots, he's light on his feet. His training had demanded it.

His mind briefly wanders to his partner. She had to leave her own coat, which was becoming a trademark for her own, behind before they boarded the air ship. He wondered if the cold was affecting her. It wasn't really practical in his opinion to fight and wander around with an opened back garment. It left her exposed. To more than just blades, he thought, thinking of the lecherous farmers back in Kanna.

Kyuzo glares at himself and pushes these thoughts away and continues with his mission. Eliminate the sniper. That should be his top concern now. Not her.

The echoes of sniper fire had brought him here but in the fog it was still hard to see. Even though he had a keen sight for things, he really hoped he didn't literally bump into the sniper or any other Nobuseri for that matter.

The red eyed samurai makes out something in the distance and he darts behind a rock face, blades ready to strike when and if it got closer.

The mass doesn't though. He had finally come upon the sniper.

Kyuzo slithers through the other rocks to get a closer look. It's a raiden unit. The blue giant is hunkered down on the canyon floor with its riffle pointed up the slope waiting for targets. Kyuzo scoffed. How ironic it was that he was going to be killed waiting for someone to kill. This was why machines shouldn't fight war in his opinion.

The red samurai carefully and silently resheathed his swords before he slipped over to the wall behind the Nobuseri with the same caution. Then, with the grace of a cat, the blonde samurai scaled the rock wall like he was the raiden's shadow. Feeling confident in his position over the blue beast, Kyuzo pulled his top blade out slowly from its resting place and pounced.

The raiden sizzled and popped quietly before its lights faded, like the final breathe of a dying man, when Kyuzo's blade was through its metal skull. The samurai removed his sword from the dead Nobuseri and stood on its giant corpse.

He sneers under his mask at the beast. It was pathetic at how easily it had been defeated. Despite the fact that it was a machine; it was still once a samurai. _Disgrace,_ Kyuzo thinks and is actually glad it was dead so it couldn't bring anymore shame to the name samurai.

His mind doesn't spare the fallen beast another thought and switches his brain on to his next task.

The gun could be useful to their fight. Heihachi could do something with it he was sure. He could take it with him. Oddly enough, despite their size, the guns weren't that hard to carry. He had done it enough during the war. Getting it up the steep climb would be a challenge, but not impossible.

He needed to find Mai. He hadn't seen her since they sprinted down the mountain. She had gone one way. He had gone another. He hadn't tried to regroup because in his opinion it was unnecessary. Though Kambei had been right, and more than one of them should have gone on this mission, Kyuzo knew he didn't need to be her shadow.

Mai was more than capable than taking care of herself. He had seen it first hand in the forest, then in the mountain, and again in the airship.

To watch her fight was truly a display. Her speed made her almost impossible to see, but undeniable to watch. Her lithe body almost floated or danced through the battle field as enemy after enemy fell at her feet. She gave a certain art to the act of warfare, a beauty to it. It was like she was a reincarnate of Izanami before her fall to the underworld. Kyuzo had been in awe of her skill. Much like he had been Kambei. But he knew, somewhere, that his feelings between the two were different.

It was his hope that she went to locate the rest of the Nobuseri and gather their numbers while he saw to this task. Though they hadn't discussed it, he knew she was clever enough to figure out what her role would be. Even though he knew she had volunteered under the pretense of killing the sniper for them.

Kyuzo smirked slightly under his mask.

He gained an immense satisfaction on being able to do this and not her and the thought of that look on her face when she discovered it. Those fractional cracks in her mask before she reeled them in were fascinating to him.

The faint but distinctive sound of a brittle crack alerts Kyuzo and the blonde whipped around in time to see a mimizuku footman, whose head was nearly turned behind him, crumple to the ground. When he fell, Mai was reviled behind him. The blonde female watched the man fall and then looked at Kyuzo with bored violet eyes before she gave a small shrug of her shoulders as if to say _'What?'_

The blonde samurai arched a brow slightly at her. Then furrowed them when he thought he saw something on the ground. Then his brows shot up in shock when the fog cleared just a fraction to let him see that the something was bodies littering the ground. He turned back to focus on Mai who just shrug again with a _'What?'_

In the distance, the two warriors could hear the foot falls and motor rumblings of Nobuseri coming towards them.

The samurai focused back in on the kunoichi with a look that told her _'This is your fault!'_ to which Mai countered with a gesture towards the raiden under him as if to say, _'Me?! This is your fault!'_

Accusing one another wasn't getting them anywhere, however. And Kyuzo could hear them getting closer, _a lot_ of them getting closer. Mai looked to have her brain going a mile a minute in a small, controlled panic. Suddenly, her hand shot out and gripped Kyuzo's arm and pulled him off the fallen raiden shell. She practically dragged him along until they came to a crack in the rock face and she pulled them inside.

The space was small. There was barely enough room for one of them let alone two. It was tight and uncomfortable, but it provided them better coverage than hiding behind rocks and the enemy was too close for them to scale up and out of the canyon.

When the enemy finally did reach their area the fog had resettled to give them even better coverage, a small miracle from the heavens.

A tense few moments past as the Nobuseri soldiers talked amongst each other about their fallen allies and what they should do about it. One suggested heading to Kanna now and burning down the village. Another suggested hunting down the samurai that may still be in the canyon with them. Finally, another, who seemed to be the scout leader, told them that they would return to the camp and get instructions from their leader before making any decisions.

The men reluctantly agreed. Then they slowly headed off back to their base camp as ordered.

Silence once again settled in the canyon, but Mai and Kyuzo didn't make a sound.

They both wanted to wait and make sure that none of them were coming back. They could want to collect the bodies or the weapons, which were probably more important to them. Or they could want to search the area more. It was best to wait and make sure.

As the adrenaline of the moment stated in his veins, Kyuzo pulled himself mental back in from the outside world and into himself and realized something.

In the heat of the moment, he and Mai had just moved into whatever position was best to fit them both in the small space and avoid detection. But now that they heat of the moment was gone, it was hard for him to ignore the rather compromising position they were in.

They were pressed impossibly close together. So much so that Kyuzo could feel the heat emanating from Mai's breast into his own through his shirt. Her left leg had to have been bent up to his torso and his legs had to straddle the other one to fit both sets of long legs into the space.

Kyuzo's arm was braced above Mai's head to keep him from curling his height in on her more, but his face was still so close to her head that he could smell the salt of her sweat and the scent of battle off her skin. Some would find that unappealing. He found it thrilling. The adrenaline from the previous battle starting to come alive again in his veins at that scent and he's finding it becoming hard to breath in the small space. The air seemed to becoming deafeningly thick with heat and intoxicating smell of her.

Mai turned her head. Possibly to convey with her eyes that she thought the coast was clear or question why Kyuzo was bearing into her with his eyes, he wasn't sure. But he was sure that if it hadn't had been for their masks, their lips would have touched in a kiss that shouldn't haven benn.

Even so, the turn of her head caused their lips to pass with a feather caress across the other through the black fabric on their faces. And it seemed that Mai just realized the closeness in the space, and the heat, and the air.

A tense moment filled space as the two blonde warriors gazed at each other intently in the darkened space. Warm breathes from the other passed across the other's face. Their masks still fractions of space from touching.

And then the intense spell was broken. Mai turned her head back away and began the careful movement of sliding out of the space with Kyuzo without injury. It helps but doesn't at the same time. Their getting out of the tight space, but to do so they have to brush against each other half a dozen times in a careful dance to escape.

Once freed, Kyuzo jerks his mask down quickly. He suddenly finds the fabric suffocating and infuriating. Mai doesn't seem to notice or be bothered as she examines the area then jerks her hand at him towards the top.

He agrees. It's time to get out of there.

The samurai stalks over to the raiden remains and hauls the enormous gun across his shoulders. Mai arches a brow at him. And he thinks he even sees a look of impressed flash across her face as he stands at full height despite the weight.

Kyuzo smirks. The cracks are fascinating.

* * *

The climb to the top is harder than the desent to the bottom, but Mai doesn't complain. She and Kyuzo both hop from rock to rock gracefully as they get closer to the canyon edge. She tries to keep pace with Kyuzo. Carrying that huge rifle has to be murder on him even though he makes it look easy. Mai doesn't want to out run him. And she wants to be there under the unlikely chance he might fall.

As they get closer, Mai can hear voices quietly over the edge.

She makes out Kambei and Shichiroji. Then she hears Heihachi and Katsushiro. They are waiting from them to arrive. What serendipitous luck that they are at the same spot they had chosen to climb.

Kyuzo crests the ridge first and Mai is right behind him. They stand on the spike post lining the edge for defense. She would have laughed at how shameful a defense it was since they could topple it so easily, but she was too tired.

"Think we can use it." Kyuzo asked, tossing the large riffle at the red headed engineer as he hopped down. Mai hopped down from her own spike, closer to Kanbei and Shichiroji than the other stealth fighter, as Heihachi excitedly commented on his new toy.

"Good work you two." Kambei praised the blondes. Mai shrugged a little. She hadn't gone for praise. But still, she had to admit, it was nice to be appreciated for her craft.

Kyuzo looked back over his shoulder at the older man and reported, "I took out a Raiden. 30 remain. Mostly Yakan and Tobito remain. A few Yuroe* remain, less than before thanks to her." Mai blinked out of her mental musing and focused in on the red samurai. Had he just complimented her? The corner of Mai's lips turned up in a smirk and thought she felt her cheeks grow a little warm. But she deduced that it was probably from the warmth of the sun being on her face for the first time that day.

"When will they be here?" Kambei asked the Kyuzo, who responded,

"By tomorrow," His tone wasn't worried or nervous like one might expect from the knowledge of the enemy being so close to attacking. It was just the flat, calm tone Kyuzo always had that sometimes infuriated Mai to no end. "I need sleep." The blonde added as an afterthought and sprinted up the cliff side away from the group.

Mai watched after him, his red jacket flittering in the air as he ran and then disappear as he made it up over the cliff side edge. "Mai-dono," The blonde female blinked out of her musing and looked at their leader at as he addressed her. "Go get some rest too. You've done well and we will need you at full strength for tomorrow." Kambei told her.

"I need a bath first." She calmly informed the samurai and spirited up the cliff side much like Kyuzo did.

* * *

_:3 :3 :3 I don't have anything to say. Thanks for sticking with me til this point. I told you it would pay off! All feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated as always._

_Special thanks to MoonDancer, Tiny Cherie, and Tanya Torres for their reviews last time._


	16. Chapter 16

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

All Mai wanted to do is get a bath, find something to eat, and then sleep for a few hours. But apparently that just wasn't in the cards for her right this second.

Before she went about completing her list of wants, the blonde kunoichi had stopped by Rikichi's house to retrieve her jacket she had entrusted to him for safe keeping. He had been ecstatic to see her back, live and well, but told her that he didn't have her coat. Kirara had taken it from him under the pretense of cleaning it for her so it would be fresh when she returned.

Mai, of little patience at the moment, mutter quietly about how that was foolish because there had been on guarantee that she would be back. She also muttered quietly about how foolish it was that she was now walking to go get it.

She rationalized that she could just as easily get it later after her bath or eating or sleeping. But still, she had become rather attached to the garment in the short time she had had it. It was hers and she wanted to. That was all that really mattered to her.

Kirara and Komachi had been happy to see her. That was certainly something she was not used to. Usually, people were indifferent to or terrified of her when she came around. The former mikumari, Kirara's grandmother, even thanked her for her service to the village and told her she offered her prayers to her for her safety. Mai had just bowed lowly to the old woman, for once at a loss of what to say.

"What will you do now Mai-sama?" Kirara asked kindly after handing her her freshly cleaned duster, folded in crisp creases for her return.

"Bath, eat, sleep." Mai stated plainly. She was really in no mood for small talk, but since the girl had gone through the trouble of cleaning her coat for her, she would humor her for a minute. If only for a minute.

"That sounds like an excellent idea for the troubled, weary soul. There's a mineral hot springs not far from here to you could use just down the path from here." Setsu tells her with a crescent eyed smile.

"Really?" Mai asked curiously.

"Oh yes! It's very soothing. One of the few luxuries awarded to us by the Water Gods."

Mai fought the urge to fall to her knees and thank them herself. It had been a while since she had had a proper bath* and the fact that she could have one _with_ hot water made her positively ecstatic.

"It's just down the small path behind our home." The older woman tells her.

"If you would like, I could lend you some clothes to borrow and clean your combat clothes as well." Kirara offers. She knows that's all Mai has had to wear for close to three weeks now. It would be due for a proper cleaning.

"Sure, I guess." Mai responds and Kirara seems happy with it. It's like when she offered to fix Kyuzo's coat and he accept, Mai thinks, as if she were pleasantly surprised by the response.

"I'll take good care of them for you. Take as long as you would like. The healing properties of the spring will do you good in the battles ahead." The mikumari tells her.

Mai isn't exactly sure about that. But she supposes any help is help still enough.

* * *

"Move over! Let me see!"

"Hotcha, hotcha! She's even lovely than I dreamed!"

"I think I'm in love!"

The three farmers sing happily like teenagers behind the bushes as they spied on the blonde warrior. They had been infatuated with her from the start. Her beautiful face, those long limbs, that sultry grace. It was not something the women, or rather the left over women, of Kanna had. So when word had got around that the beautiful flower was bathing in the hot springs they decided to take a peak.

"We need to get closer! I can't see anything!"

"Damn steam!"

"Maybe if we startle her she'll jump up and we can see _all_ of her loveliness!"

"How are we supposed to startle someone?"

Suddenly though, their lusting was interrupted, as all the farmers gulped in unison as a blade fell swift by the middle ones neck.

"Leave. Now." The deadly samurai's instruction held now threat, but the _promise_ of a painful death should they even think to stay or try this again.

The farmers balk in terror and skitter off into the forest and out of sight.

Kyuzo glares at their retreating figures and then he hears the sound of bells wafting through the trees.

"My, my, I am beginning to think you jealous _great_ samurai." Mai crowed, violet eyes darting over her shoulder at him

Kyuzo turns and glares at the back of Mai's head through the mist and the steam.

"Only whore care so little for their modesty." He scolds, but it only earns him a chuckle.

"Hmm…again I wouldn't know. I don't keep company with whores as frequently as you apparently do, since you know so much about them." Mai mocks and his glare intensifies. "Besides, it's not like they can see anything from there. I'm up to my shoulders, in a fog, surrounded by rocks. All you can see if my pretty yellow hair." The blonde mocked to the other with a bitter sounding chuckle before stretching her arms on the rock behind her. "You don't seem to mind that Katsushiro has a small following of farm girls after him."

"That's different." Kyuzo tells her flatly, but despite his best efforts he knows that's not the case.

"Why? Because I'm a woman?" She asks, and though he can't see her face he can hear her sneer.

"Because they're women." He corrects.

"Ah, so if those men had been staring at Katsushiro from the bushes, you would have stopped them too? Because they're men and everything." She questions in a coy manner. Kyuzo doesn't like her as much when she's being this way. He finds her infuriating. But he can't explain it...

Suddenly, the kunoichi stands, fully naked with her back toward him. The mist isn't thick enough for it to hide her form and Kyuzo's head snaps away under the pretense of chivalry and modesty. But he still caught enough of a glimpse through the haze. "Are you blushing _great_ samurai?" Mai's crows again, glancing over her shoulder at him while she rings out her hair.

Kyuzo doesn't look, but still dead pans to her. "You shouldn't be so bold. A lesser man would have taken you by now."

"And a lesser man would be dead if he tried." Mai replied quickly and he can hear the splash of the water as she gets out and then the rustle of clothing as she redresses. "What are you doing here by the way, Kyuzo? Come to spy on me and found the spot already taken?" She asks, standing before him still damp but with much more modesty.

Kyuzo looks at her again finally and is a little surprised at how long her hair is and how different she looks with it down. But he doesn't show it. "Katsushiro woke me up." He drones, trying to remain indifferent to the situation and thinking it's a very inappropriate time for his mind to be remembering the canyon right now.

"Ah yes, it seems I'm not the only one with admires who come to stare." Mai tells him with a small chuckle. The boy's moon eyes for Kyuzo could have been seen from space. Then there is a pause and a silence that falls amongst them. Mai opens her mouth briefly, as if to say something, but changes her mind at the last second. "I need to get something to eat. You should try the spring. It's actually quiet refreshing. Maybe it could even loosen you up, _great_ samurai." She jokes before she brushes past him and leaves.

* * *

Far, far away from the samurai and the kunoichi a bumbling man, who is bald of hair and fat of frame, scurries down an elaborate hall towards an equally ornate door at the end of it.

"I need to speak with the Grand Mal immediately!" He says, with a slight pant, to the two fearsome looking ninja at the door.

"He's busy." One says, though it's easy to hear what the leader of the Omashu is busy doing. Sujo could hear the obvious sexual cries down the hall. Though it wasn't any surprise, it's what he was busy doing most of the time anyway.

"This is urgent!" Sujo cries again, but the guard just looks at him with distain.

"Why don't you just give me whatever it is that's so important and I'll give it to him."

"No! The Grand Mal needs to see this! _Only_ he can see this!" Sujo insists adamantly.

"Just let him in Gun." A voice rings out over the screams and the guards open the door to let the older man in.

Sujo nods, preparing himself, and walks in.

The chambers of the Grand Mal had become far more auspicious in the brief few months of the new Mal's reign. Sujo had almost choked when he saw what his new lord and his subordinates had done to the place, but he didn't say a word. He was in far too deep like the rest of them to utter a word to the Omashu's new ruler. He knew what the man was capable of.

A large bed dominates the room and the translucent curtains surrounding the round frame do little to hide the pair fornicating on it. Sujo's head turns sharply. _Disgraceful_

"I never took you for such a prude Sujo-_sama_." The aged cleric of the Omashu turns his head once being addressed and hearing the screaming stop. The girl, a blonde, slumps down into the mattress as her partner leaves the bed without glancing at her. "So what was sooo important?" A man, roughly in his late twenties, asks. He is black of hair and strong of build. Sujo is just glad he felt modest enough this time to put on some clothes before addressing him. The light robe, though still lewd and inappropriate, is appreciated.

"Grand Mal Sho, sir, I figured you would want to see this before anyone else." Sujo says, bowing his head and handing the younger man a file from his sleeve.

Sho sighs heavily but takes the file with a bored expression and flips through its contents. He still looks bored when he addresses the cleric. "When did you get this?" He asks, seeming to wander about the room.

"Yesterday sir." Sujo replies, following slightly behind Sho.

"And who else has seen this?" The black haired man asks blankly, turning around and slowly pacing the other way.

"No one sir! I brought it to you immediately upon my finding and deleted them." Sujo states boldly.

"Hmm…good." Sho replies with a faint smirk and before the cleric could realize it his head was off his shoulders. "I'd hate to have to butcher so many." He tells the beheaded, twitching corpse on his floor while tapping his katana blade to his shoulder. "Haruka, a word please," Sho says out loud and from the shadows of the room a woman appears.

"Yes my lord?" She responds smoothly. Lithe and tan, her attire designates she is a saidai* and kage* to the Grand Mal.

Sho looks over this shoulder at the woman with a smile. "I have a little chore for you Haruka, if you're not too busy." He says in a friendly manner with his subordinate. "Could you get that clean that up, get rid of _that_," He gestures in distain towards the man on his floor and then his bed with a small sneer, "And then I need you to send someone to Kanna village on a little mission for me."

"Kanna? The rice farm hovel?" The teal haired woman asks curiously.

"That's the one!" Sho says with a board smile and walked over to his fire place. "Seems a friend of ours is there causing a bit of trouble for some of our capital associates. Do take care of it for me, won't you." He adds, with a cunning look and flips a picture from the file he had just thrown into the flames towards her.

Haruka arches a brow at him, but takes it calmly before her face breaks out in shock. "I'll send Rin now." She says, reeling in her expression quickly.

Sho smiles softly. "Thank you my dear. I know I can always count on you." He tells her as he takes the photo and kisses the shorter woman's forehead. The bluenette blushes and smiles the slightest bit before she is released and moves to kick the whore out of her leader's bed.

Sho smirks before he turns back to look at the flames of the fireplace and the photo in his hand. _So even death favored you like my uncle. _He mentally asks the picture that doesn't answer him. He smirks again wistfully and lets the photograph slip from his fingers into the flames. _You should have succumbed to your fate my dear. This time I'll have to bring back more than your mask with me._ He tells the withering image bitterly.

Again, it doesn't answer. And the burning image of a blonde kunoichi fighting amongst samurai slowly turns to ash amongst the flames.

* * *

_Annnnd now everyone has to wait til next week!_

_Special thanks to all those that reviewed last time!_

_*- saidai and kage means greatest and shadow respectively. Saidai is a rank in the Omashu. Kage is a title._


	17. Chapter 17

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

_A/N: The plot bunnies made me do it..._

_**Memories and thoughts inside of memories and thoughts (Inception memories and thoughts!)**  
_

* * *

The moon at night was beautiful over Kanna. The pale white circle hung almost impossibly close to the village and its bright light shone almost as bright as the sun. Mai always loved the moon. And she was happy it was so beautiful tonight so she could take the time to appreciate it. For all she knew it was the last time she would ever see it again.

Her lean form, back in its proper attire that made her feel whole, lay propped against a think tree as she looked at the sky and pondered the day. _'So we will be going to the capital. My, how this little adventure has grown.'_

Her mind floated back to the strategy meeting earlier that day and her new role in the future of this suicide plot.

* * *

_"Hey there little lady, did you have a nice nap?" Shichiroji asks cheerfully as Mai steps into the hut. Mai nods, not in the mood to talk. She is the last to arrive and takes a seat at the final spot left open on the table between Shichiroji and Kambei._

_The elder samurai doesn't seem to take notice of her and continues his planning._

_"Strategic placements of swords Shichiroji located will be placed in this area. The falls will be a problematic place for defense." Kambei said, with a hand to his chin as he pondered this before his hand drops and his back straightens. "Once we are finished her tomorrow, our next mission will be to go to the capital and liberate the captured women."_

_"Yeah, but how are we going to get in there? The capital was relocated into an air vessel after the war. It's a fortress now. Would anyone even know where to find it?" Heihachi said scratching his head._

_Movement out of the corner of everyone eye catches the samurai's attention as Mai raised her hand slightly. The group all gained a surprised expression and Mai drops her hand. "Oh, I'm sorry. Was that a rhetorical question?" The female warrior asks calmly._

_"You know how to get to the capital?" Shichiroji asked curiously with an arched brow._

_"I've been in the capital." Mai confirmed, startling everyone a little._

_"You were asked to the capital?" Gorobei asked this in surprise, the shock written all over his face._

_"Asked is a strong word." Mai said ruefully._

* * *

**_"Ah, Mai, right on time as usual," Kenzo said in an off handed tone, not looking up from his paper work. "You don't have to be so formal Mai." He adds, knowing the blonde was bowed down on the floor._**

**_"You are my Grand Mal and my sensei. I am showing you the respect you deserve." Mai says calmly, not getting up from her position near the door._**

**_"Names and titles don't mean you should show anyone respect Mai. To look down on someone is a sign of hubris. To put them on a pedestal is to place them on a level they can never attain. The greatest respect you can show for a person is to treat them as an equal." Grand Mal Kenzo says and gestures for her to stand. She does, but still stands at attention before her leader. Despite their unique relationship she still shows him a great deal of respect. "How was your day?"_**

**_Mai's face scrunches a little in confusion. "Fine…" Mai responded, voice a little apprehensive as to where this was going._**

**_"Really? Because I heard that you and another jonin got into a dispute this morning." The older man says with a smirk. Mai frowns slightly._**

**_"He was disputing. I was stating a fact." She retorts and Kenzo scoffs._**

**_"By telling him he was an idiot and unfit for service?"_**

**_"It's the truth." Mai says flatly like it was common knowledge._**

**_Kenzo sighs heavily and scratches his salt and pepper beard. "Mai, we've talked about this. You're beyond gifted. But an ounce of tact can get you much further in life than any sword can. You can do it on missions, why can't you do it with your peers?" _**

**_"I'm paid to make people like me on missions. It's my job and my duty. I won't cater to the whims of ingrates just to make more people like me more." The blonde says serious._**

**_ The Grand Mal shakes his head. "You're as stubborn as ever I'll give you that much." Kenzo muttered and returned to his paper work. "I have a mission for you."_**

**_"Yes sir," Mai says. She had known that was why he had called her. They rarely sat in for chats together anymore._**

**_"The capital requires measures to be taken against the rebels in Humen City. They have asked for our assistance. You'll be heading there for the details." He says, putting a signed paper into another pile._**

**_"The capital sir?"_**

**_"Yes, the capital. Did I stutter?"_**

**_"But sir…with all due respect, shouldn't someone with more experience handle a mission from the capital?" Mai says in apprehension._**

**_"Do you think you're not qualified for the job?" Kenzo asks, leaning back in his chair._**

**_"No, it's just that-"Good, neither do I." Kenzo told her with complete confidence. "We all had to start somewhere Mai. Everyone that was ever great had to be given a chance. I wasn't half the Omashu you were at your age and look at me now." Mai dropped her gaze with a small smile and faint blush at the compliment. It was better to be praised for her skill than her beauty any day. "When you get back, I'm reassigning you by the way."_**

**_"Reassignment?" The blonde asks with her brow arched curiously._**

**_"You'll be getting a promotion, little bird. You'll now be a member of the Saidai and one of my personal kages."_**

* * *

_"The Grand Mal tasked me to go there." She said and for the life of her can't get the sadness out of it._

_"You were employed by the capital then Mai-dono?" Kambei questions, bringing Mai back to the present._

_"Yes. The Omashu do a lot of things for the capital." She responds, voice confident and even again._

_"Like what things?" Komachi asks innocently with wide eyes._

_"Like I'd have to kill you if I told you kind of things." Mai responded but there was no malice in the words, just a faint smirk._

_"Then your knowledge will be invaluable to us Mai-dono." Kambei tells her with a soft smile which causes Mai to return it just slightly with a sheepish expression. "I will task you with the planning for our mount on the capital then. I have complete faith in you." He adds and Mai's mind flashes an image of Kenzo's smile to torment her. **"You'll do great little bird."**_

* * *

Mai's heart clenches at the memory of her Grand Mal and sensei. It's hard, when she's alone like this and allows her mind to wander. She thinks of shame and agony and sorrow at the loss of the one man who ever showed her any real kindness and compassion. Kenzo had not only been a teacher and a leader to her, but he had also been like a father to her. That was why her failure to protect him burned so badly.

She hears the slight rustle through the trees behind her and she wonders for a minute if it was more farmers come to spy on her.

But the thought is short lived as she can tell the noise is still too quiet for farmers and sounds questionably planned.

"What are you doing?" Kyuzo asks when he appears next to her. He had been looking for her for quite some time and here she was just standing around doing nothing.

"I'm looking at the moon." Mai replies nonchalantly and turns her head back in its direction.

"Why?" The samurai questions. He does not see the point as the exercise.

The ninja shrugs. "Because I like the moon, and this may be the last time I get to see it while I'm here."

"You plan on dying." Kyuzo asks plainly and Mai smirks a little, perhaps bitterly, at him.

"No, but I'm not foolish enough to think me immortal. We all die. Every one of us will one day. I don't live in fear of dying, but I don't want to die. I accepted the fact a long time ago that my life isn't guaranteed to me the next day." She explains and her head again turns back towards the sky with a soft expression. "So I don't want to go to the after world with regret. And I would genuinely regret not seeing the moon one last time." She finishes and the samurai turns to look at the moon as well though not seeing what is so fascinating. "Will you have any regrets when you go to the after world Kyuzo?"

"What kind of question is that?" The blonde samurai asks turning back to her. She doesn't turn back to him though.

"I don't know. During the war, people would come up to me constantly and tell me their regrets as if I were a priest. I think my peace with death made them think I had the answer for them." Mai tells him

"I won't have any regrets." He replies coolly and his eyes shift back towards the night sky.

"I have one, but I plan on rectifying that problem before my time comes." Mai replies.

"You can't make that promise." He tells her and she smirks almost venomously.

"Watch me." She declares and the sound of it is enough to draw Kyuzo's stare back towards her.

Silence settles back over the blonde pair as the clouds skate across the moon and the breeze flitters through the trees. Mai takes solace in the peace. Tomorrow will be loud, and chaotic, and bloody, so she wants to remember this feeling for when that time comes.

The movement she feels beside her isn't quick, but it still surprises her when a hand lands on her shoulder. "What are you doing?" She asks calmly, but internally she's confused as to what the stoic samurai is doing as he gently nudges her to turn towards him.

"Rectifying a problem," He says evenly, hand still on her shoulder even though she's facing him now. Mai opens her mouth little as if to say something, but nothing comes out. It feels like when they were trapped in the canyon together again. But instead of rock walls and Nobuseri keeping her in place, those red eyes of his seem to fasten her in place with a heated stare that's coming in closer.

Mai flinches with wide eyes as a cold tap unexpectantly hits her nose. And then another hits her cheek. And then three more tap hit her crown. "It's raining." Mai says flatly as the pair look up at the sky at the down pour the clouds are bathing them in.

The two stare at the sky a moment longer before Kyuzo hand drops from her shoulder and he turns his back on her.

"Ah…Kyuzo?" Mai says in confusion, but the call doesn't stop him as he disappears into the trees. But she doesn't have to time to think on ruined moments and confusing feelings. Her attention is drawn to the whizzing sound of approaching metal samurai. _'They're coming'_

* * *

_I wanted to not cock block Kyuzo, I really did! But the bunnies stole my keyboard and were mean to him. Don't hate me! The bunnies have been subdued! New chapter in a few days. Reviews and feedback as always is appreciated!_


	18. Chapter 18

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

The air is thick with humidity after the rain stops. It's almost unbearably quite throughout Kanna. The only sound the faint dip-drop of left over rain falling into puddles off leaves and branches. Inside Mai's hut she shares with the samurai, the only sound is the soft scraping as her kunai slide across the wet stone.

They need to be resharpened. Her weapons have been through quite a bit in the last few days. Cutting through metal and bodies was hell on them to say the least.

She lifts the small blade from the stone and examines it closely with a trained, critical eye. The slightest hair of inaccuracy in resharpening them could lead her to be less accurate in battle. She couldn't allow that. Not after everything that was sacrificed in this battle for her to be less than perfect in the next one.

The thought stills her scrutiny and she drops her hand with the blade into her lap as she looks out the window.

It's quite. Too quite. A heavy solemn curtain hangs over Kanna as the villagers mourn the loss of the few and the many. They had won. But to Mai there were never any true winners in war. Both sides would lose people and comrades and others would mourn them.

Her head turns and looks over at the mat a few paces from her that's empty. A mat that would stay empty now that Gorobei was gone.

The bridge of her nose crinkles a little and her eyes narrow a fraction as she looks away.

She tells herself that it's foolish to feel sorrow for him. Gorobei is gone. He died a hero and no longer has to deal with the mortal worlds suffering. It was the greatest achievement a warrior could hope to achieve.

But…still…she finds herself missing his jokes and ever present smile. His good nature had been something that confused her at first. She was not accustom to people who treated her so friendly especially after only knowing her for a little over a month. In her mind she sees his face, bright with laughter as he boomed jovially at her expressions in amusement. He'd never get the chance to tell her way that was so funny.

The air inside the hut has suddenly become stifling as well. Mai decides that she needs some fresh air. It has nothing to do with the empty mat or the memory of Gorobei.

* * *

Her feet had taken her to the same spot she had found herself the night of Manzo's betrayal. The clearing seemed much more whimsical in the light of the day with the sun's rays reflecting off the last of the raining drops like diamonds and the soft second shower of them finally falling from the leaves.

She stops in front of the tree she had been in front of that night. The bark is still splintered and red with her blood from the abuse. She looks at her knuckles, warn from it as well, and lightly punches the spot with a halfhearted thrust.

She's not angry, so she doesn't want to hit anything. She doesn't want to cry, she can apparently only do that when she's angry too. So with no out let for this emotion she instead ponders it in silence. She vows in her mind to avenge Gorobei and make sure his loss is not in vain.

She's accumulating more things to do before her death. But, then again, by completing one she will be completing the other accentually.

The light rustle through the leaves starts her. Mai looked back over her shoulder, not sure who or what she was expecting to see, but it definitely was not Kyuzo. Since the battle yesterday he had been gone without a trace and no one had seen him. "What is it?" Mai asked him, but he just stood there quietly staring at her.

"Gorobei's dead." He said finally. There was nothing different about his voice but the fact that he said it took Mai by surprise.

"Kyuzo?" She said confused as to what he wanted. It wasn't like him to make obvious statements and the way he stared at her was making her uncomfortable. _Has Gorobei's death really bothered him that much?_

Kyuzo remained silent. His ruby eyes boring holes into her like he was trying to tell her something but she didn't understand.

"Kyuzo?" She tried again, and this time when she spoke it seemed to knock him out of whatever trance he had seemed to be in. He blinked a few times, and then suddenly the few feet between them became inches in a red blur.

Before Mai could say or do anything about him invading her personal space, the few inches were stolen as well when he crushed her against him by the back of her neck and hip.

"Kyu-?!" Before Mai could continue her outrage or his name for a third time Kyuzo's lips fell on hers, silencing any protest she might have had.

The blonde ninja became paralyzed in wide eyed shock as the samurai kissed her. He wasn't making an attempt to deepen the kiss or really do anything other than seal their lips together in a hard yet tender kiss. The ninja was finally able to gather her wits and pushed away from the samurai.

The sound of a loud smack echoed through the trees as Mai swung her arm and connected with the side of Kyuzo's face.

The lighter blondes face had turned to the side from the force of the strike but he just calmly turned it back to her with his typical placid expression.

Mai panted quietly through her teeth. She didn't know if she should feel rage from having been accosted so suddenly or anger over him having done something like that during a time like this. She wanted to hit him again. She wanted to hit him again harder. She wanted to take off. Take off and never seeing him again. She didn't know what to feel right now.

There were so many things that her brain told her that she wanted to do that it honestly even took her by surprise when she lashed out and grabbed fist fulls of that infuriating red coat and pulled Kyuzo back towards her.

Mai's kiss was not as soothing or calm as Kyuzo's had been. It was hard and angry and had become a catalyst for all the blonde ninja's frustrations for the samurai and the day and everything else that had happened recently to be let out through. Kyuzo just held on to her tight, letting himself be swept up in the bruising kiss and let her take him away.

When the burning in her lungs was finally becoming more that she could take Mai pulled back just far enough to gasp in gulps of air along with Kyuzo. Her head was swimming. And she was sure it wasn't the lack of oxygen that was doing it to her. This man, this _samurai_, who was odd and confusing and infuriating, was doing it to her. But what this was, she wasn't sure. This was something new. Something she had never experienced before. After she had finally reached some level of calm again, she felt a hand slipped around from the back of her neck to under her chin, tilting it up slowly until violet linked with blood red.

"Gorobei is dead. I don't want to go to my grave as well with any regrets." Kyuzo muttered against her lips and kissed her again.

* * *

_I wanted to wait, but I couldn't! Going to be taking a break for a few days to catch up on work and some other things here soon. As always, any and all feedback and reviews are appreciated!_

_Thanks for reading!_


	19. Chapter 19

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

_A/N: My deepest apologies for the delay in updating! My muse for this story is very elusive and tricky. She runs away and comes back later with no regard for my updating (or sleep) schedule. She is the most fickle of my muses! But I caught her now, so on with the show!_

* * *

It's more the unabashed sound of crickets that wakes her more than anything else. In the dark sleep of her mind she thinks it's odd for them to be so loud. Then she realizes it's odd for her side to feel so cold and damp. And that her back is almost unbearably warm.

Violet eyes open slowly and she groggily realizes that the reason the crickets are so loud and her side is damp and cold is because she's outside. Glancing around the corners of her eyes she realizes that she's still in the clearing, but it's dark now. The whimsy of day has been replaced by blue mystery of the night and green glow of fireflies.

She wonders, briefly, why she's out here in the middle of the night but then suddenly it all comes flooding back to her.

Kyuzo, the kiss, their feverous display.

She also suddenly realizes why her side is so cold and damp is because she's naked.

Her body bare, in nothing but her boots, under a heavy canvas coat. Mai's face heats as she lifts up the coat a little to unnecessarily confirm that she is naked while wanton images of her and a blonde samurai supply the why.

She flusters a little before looking over her shoulder at the reason her back is unbearably warm. Mai is a clever woman. She could figure out the source without looking but she's actually surprised that he's there.

She had expected that he would have left after their completion, either because he was finished or because he didn't want them to be discovered she wasn't sure.

Mai wonders briefly if he had practically past out like her after her intense release and just hadn't woken up yet.

But then wouldn't he still be on top of her and not beside her? And how did his pants get back on his waist?

Her sharp eyes glare a fraction at Kyuzo's sleeping face at the realization that he put his pants back on but left her naked for the world to see. But then again, he didn't really. He had taken the time to cover them, well mostly her, in his coat to conceal them from the elements and the cold. And if he had the mind set to do all of that then he also had the mind set to leave. But he didn't.

The kunoichi hums quietly at the realization, not sure what that means or how that makes her feel.

Perhaps she's thinking too much into it, she ponders. Maybe him being here was just a considerate gesture on his part to not make her feel like a whore in the heat of the moment decision. She honestly wouldn't be surprised. Despite whatever precognitions she had had about Kyuzo and the frenzy of their coupling he had been a very attentive, considerate partner. Much more enjoyable than previous experiences.

Mai honestly wouldn't mind having him again but wonders if this was a onetime thing. Kyuzo had said that he didn't want to go to his grave without any regrets. Was the regret with her? Or was it with dying without feeling a woman again?

She wasn't be sure.

"You're thinking too loudly." The rough baritone, mottled with sleep brings her back to reality just in time to see a blood colored eye crack open and look up at her. "Go back to sleep."

"I can't. I'm awake now and I'm cold. Where are my clothes?" Mai responds evenly and is again surprised when Kyuzo lazily lifts an arm out from under the coat to point beside her. She doesn't remember them falling there. But then again, she had been preoccupied with other things.

"We should return to the village. The others are probably searching for us." The female blonde comments towards the trees as she slips from his grasp to put her cheongsam on.

"They won't look for us." Kyuzo responds, sitting up with his back against the tree. And she knows that's partly true. The farmers were too scared of them, even now, to approach them without other samurai present. The group would assume they went off on their own since they were more loners than socialites. The thought that they were together probably hadn't crossed most of their minds.

"We should still get back." She insists and she can feel him staring at her back before she turns around to face him. His arms are crossed over his bare chest, his body firm and still incredibly handsome even with its battle scars. He's horribly distracting like this, she thinks, and she can't take his serious stare very seriously at all either.

"Alright," Kyuzo says finally, maybe sounding even the tiniest bit disappointed under his typical tone, before he pulls his shirt on.

A tense silence settles between the two warriors as they resettle themselves to the way they were before. Before they….Mai's face heats again at the memory. She isn't ashamed or embarrassed of what happened, but the visual reminder is unneeded in her opinion.

"So…was I better than your whores?" She mocks with a faint smirk, finding that awkward situations are best avoiding or rectified with sarcasm.

"I don't bed whores." The samurai says seriously, standing straight once his coat is back on his shoulders and looking at her closely.

Mai pauses in straightening her hair and turns around to look at the other blonde who is giving her a serious if not confusing sort of stare. It reminds her vaguely of the look her had given her when he had just appeared in the clearing, as if he was trying to convey something to her before his lips fell on hers.

Whatever it is, she still isn't sure, but takes a sort of comfort and solace in his words.

"We should probably go back separately. To alleviate suspicion." Mai says flatly towards the trees again. She isn't ashamed or embarrassed of what happened, but is finding it very hard to meet his gaze for some reason. He unnerves her. She doesn't like it.

Kyuzo says nothing. He just continues to give her that lone, serious look aimed at the nape of her neck for a moment longer before picking up his swords on the way out of the clearing.

Mai looks after the samurai as he disappears into the dark reach of the forest.

Her chest is filled with sullen and regret all of the sudden now that she's alone in the wood. But she isn't sure why. She feels a pull to go after him but ignore it. She won't chase after him like a silly peasant girl with a crush. That wasn't the type of woman she was. She was strong, capable, and independent. She didn't need anyone. But still…

Could it be that she…perhaps…wanted someone?

She's had physical relationships before. The Omashu were far from nuns or priests. But she had never felt the urge to be with someone outside of _being_ with them. It had been a mutual understanding between warriors, a discrete compact to satisfy a craving and nothing more. But, with Kyuzo, she feels as though it's not just the craving she wants to satisfy but also the something more.

The blonde is startled from her thoughts by sudden clapping and her sharp eyes immediately dart towards its direction in the trees.

"Brilliant, just brilliant! Such a wonderful plot twist our story has turned!" A woman, of similar build and height as Mai, with red hair and a Cheshire like grin crows.

"Rin?" Mai questions skeptically, and the woman chuckles.

"You seem surprised." Rin says and leaps from her perch in a flash to saunter into the clearing on depth feet. "You didn't really think that you could war against the Nobuseri and _not_ alert the capital, did you?" She asks the other and Mai glares faintly.

It's obvious that she's here to kill her. Rin is in her combat attire. High boots like hers with knives at the top, her sword on her back, and grenades laced into straps across her chest and around her waist. Mai always through she was too much flash for a saidai, but chooses not to comment on it at this particular time.

"It's not that. I'm surprised he sent you. I don't know whether to be offended or pleased." Mai tells her evenly and Rin cocks her head to the side.

"How so?"

"Well, I'm offended that he sent you and not someone of a higher caliber. But I am pleased because I not really in the mood to break a sweat." The blonde responds, her voice taking on a sound of superiority not often found there. She is normally very humble. It's obvious Mai is baiting her.

Rin clicks her tongue against her teeth in offense. "Yes, because twice in one evening is just excessive." She replies with a devious smirk and Mai's face blanches in shock for a second before she glares at her.

"Voyeur," The blonde ninja snaps.

"Soon to be corpse," The other reprises.

Then the redhead crests the distance in one fall swoop with her katanadrawn. Mai, unarmed, dodges the ninja and her blade and blocks Rin's arm with her own when she tries to correct the strike.

"Oh my, are you defenseless? How unlike you to be unarmed, Mai-_sama_. This almost doesn't seem fair." Rin crows with a twisted smirk before a small blade slices across her face.

The redhead screeches and snaps back quickly. Her amber eyes snap wildly back at her opponent with an enraged sneer. But Mai seems unfazed, "No, it doesn't." Mai replies casually tossing one of Rin's own daggers in her hand that's stained with its owner's blood.

Rin growls before calming back into a cocky smirk. "Hm, my apologies for miscalculating you, that was rude of me." The other ninja says, whipping the blood from her face with the back of her hand. "I won't let it happen again." She adds with a serious, hardened stare, all her mirth and candor suddenly gone.

Mai smirks as well. "Good. I would just feel awful if I defeated you so easily." She says falling into her stance.

"My thoughts exactly," Rin tells her with a wicked smirk, and the battle has begun.

The two Omashu attack each other in a furry of strikes. They propel off the various trees and branches. The sound of steel connecting now and again echoes through the clearing, but not past the thick collect of the forest. It is here that they know one of them will die.

Despite Mai's more advanced skill, she is still outmatched by Rin's weapons. Her sword has a larger reach and stronger strike. And when Rin does hit it's serious. The cuts on her back and upper arms sting from movement and sweat as the bleed but her training allows her to ignore the pain and keep fighting.

She's trying to keep her in the clearing and away from the village and if Rin notices she doesn't let on. The redhead seems content to accept the handicap in her opponent, but Mai also guesses she doesn't want the others coming. That's why she probably hasn't used her bombs. Rin could easily end the fight if she threw a few of them and skittered away. Not even Mai could survive a blast in this close of a space. But the fact that she hasn't used them tells the blonde that Rin doesn't want to draw attention and by extension other opponents. This tells her that she's alone. Mai again doesn't know whether to be offended or pleased by that.

"I have a question Mai, between us _old friends._" Rin says cheekily once they've locked blades again. Mai glare at her. She knows damn well they've never been 'friends'. "Why are you trying to save this pathetic excuse for a village? Nostalgia for your life before you got tossed before the gates perhaps?"

"I owed the samurai a debt for pulling me out of that river you all threw me in." Mai responds with a sharp glare, her voice still calm and unwavering despite the time fighting and imminent danger of it.

"Hmm…and was that debt paid back with your skills or with your _skills_?" Rin asks, sliding into the blonde as if she were speaking a secret. Mai's brow furrows and her quick reflexes dislodge their blades and they're across each out in the circle again. Rin, who should also be tired and worried, laughs. "Or was that just for you? Could it be that the lovely Mai-_sama_ has fallen in love?"

Mai makes no sign towards the affirmative or negative, but still Rin seems to find some sort of answer in her blank face and laughs again.

"Oh, I just can't wait to tell Sho! He's gonna gut him like a fish for stealing his _precious_ Mai flower away! I almost don't want to kill you so you can stick around to see it." She crows with a sinister grin.

Mai's eyes narrow and she sprinted towards her. Rin expects a strike and attacks. One of her blade nicks the blondes cheek bone as she tries to dodge it and another jams into her side. Then Rin feels a press against her side as Mai passes.

It's not a punch or an attack really, just a touch. And Rin is confused.

"What the hell was that?!" The redhead cries whirling around to glare at the blonde crouch near her on the ground. "Did you expect to get past me and escape? You're pathetic Mai. Look what's become of you! You should have done the world a favor and died the first time!" Rin sneers.

The blonde rises from her crouch, slowly from her wound, and looks over her shoulder at her with a dark smirk, a set of firing pins spinning around her finger.

Rin balks in fear and pats herself looking for the activated bombs but it's too late. The concussion is loud as it bounces off the trees and Mai gets knocked back by the force and splatter.

She coughs when the dust settles some, the wind knocked out of her from the force. Her vision swims for a second before it and her lungs right themselves. When the ringing in her ears settles as well Mai can hear the commotion from the village and lanterns coming towards her.

It's Shichiroji and Kyuzo who crest the tree line first and the older blonde samurai cries out, "Mai-sama!" Mai blinks and tries to sits up just as the samurai falls to his knees beside here. "Stay down, you're injured." He tells her, for once completely serious, as he attempts to ease her back down.

Mai swats his hand away though. "I'm fine. Most of this is her not me." She says, gesturing at her body before jutting her chin towards to large spatter of a carcass ringed what scorch marks in the earth Kyuzo is looking out.

"And who was she?" Shichiroji questions, looking at the mess as well.

"Rin Taiya, an Omashu." The blonde samurai both turn their attention back at the ninja in a shocked manner at Mai's confession who looks at them serious before her vision is again swimming.

"Whoa, whoa, hey! That's why I told you to lay down. Kyuzo-dono, take her to go get cleaned up and then to the mikimaru's house for treatment." Shichiroji instructs, falling into the commander role effortlessly, and Kyuzo nods.

He's over to them and has the ninja in his arms in a flash, despite her protesting. "Put me down! I'm not an inviolate or a child." Mai hisses, but he is unfazed.

"You have a concussion and you can't even sit up right." He reasons with a sharp look that leaves no room for argument before he's off through the trees.

* * *

_Sorry again for the delay in updating. As long as my muse stays hog tied updates should be coming up more soon (but my Supernatural Serendipity muse is very loud and testy). All feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated as always!_

_Thank you for reading!_


	20. Chapter 20

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

"We should probably go back separately. To alleviate suspicion." Mai says flatly towards the trees again.

Kyuzo says nothing, but continues to give her that lone, serious look aimed at the nape of her neck as he tries to convey things he doesn't know the words to for a moment longer before giving up and collecting his swords on the way out of the clearing.

Swords back home once again on his back; Kyuzo's feet taking him mindlessly into the direction of the hut Kambei and Shichiroji normally convene for planning. He doesn't need to see all that well to know where he's going. And hopes he doesn't look as dejected as he feels as he's going.

He feels like a fool. Cast out into the proverbial cold like a dog no longer of use to its master.

He should have done nothing, he thinks. But he couldn't stand to look at her anymore and not. It makes his skin itch to be around her, as if her mere presence touches him somehow even from yards away. He had thought that perhaps acting on this feeling would fix the problem, since obviously ignoring them didn't, but he had been wrong. Oh so very wrong.

It was worse now, so much worse. Even as he continued to walk he felt as if strings latched to his back kept trying to pull him back towards her. And he physically longed for her touch again despite it only being a few hours.

In his mind, he tries to rationalize it as longing for just any physical interaction from a woman and associating petty emotions with that longing. But he knows that's not true. If it were he would long for any woman. Hell, half the women remaining in Kanna looked at him with moon eyed stares despite their fear that he could choose from. But he didn't want them or any other woman Kyuzo could conjure up to mind.

He wanted her. Plain and simple. But perhaps he had been wrong in thinking she had wanted him too.

But, he thinks, she had reciprocated his advances. She had been more than willing, he remembers; and apparently beautiful in everything she does. He also realizes that if she were completely against him he would be missing several important pieces of his anatomy. Like his hand, or his whole arm, or other very important pieces.

So he supposes he should be grateful for that. And the memory if it is to be the only time they had together.

"Kyuzo-dono, what a surprise," Shichiroji greets with a smile, looking up from his planning, when the other blonde samurai enters the hut.

"Where's Kambei?" Kyuzo asks and the other samurai casts his eyes back down sadly.

"Kambei-sama has gone ahead."

Kyuzo narrows his eyes a fraction at the news. "He's gone to the capital alone?" He asks, more wanting clarification that the veteran samurai could not be that stupid.

"He didn't tell me that, but yes. That's where I assume he's gone." Shichiroji replies, still looking at his plans.

"Why?" Was Kambei that eager to die? If he was then Kyuzo would have gladly fought him and taken his life before they were done here as was promised to him. It angers the crimson samurai more than a little that Kambei would be so frivolous with something that doesn't even belong to him anymore. His life belonged to Kyuzo now. It had been promised to him.

"He has his reasons. Besides the village will need our help to rebuild, the capital isn't going anywhere." The older blonde tells him before looking at him out of the corner of his eye. "That still doesn't mean you're going to stick around are you?" He adds and Kyuzo bristles slightly. Shichiroji just smiles knowingly. "It's not a problem with me. Kiku will probably have a fit though at being left behind." Kyuzo resists the urge to roll his eyes. What care did he give to the farmer pretending to be a samurai in metal clothing? At least if he was gone he wouldn't have to hear the oafs whining. "By the way, have you seen Mai-dono? She's been missing today too." Shichiroji comments and apparently Kyuzo involuntarily flinches or does something because it's followed by a, "What?"

"I haven't seen her." The stoic samurai replies evenly, with no hint that it's a lie. She apparently wants to act like nothing happened. So he will pretend as well.

"Hmmm….how strange. I could have sworn you would have run into her in the forest when you both headed that way earlier today." Shichiroji commented with a cheeky smirk that Kyuzo does not appreciate. He was about to leave the other samurai when a blast sounded in the distance. "What was that?!" Shichiroji said, shooting up with his naginata in hand.

"Trouble," Kyuzo saya and was out the door with the other samurai in tow.

The racket of the farmers scurrying like mice reaches his ears in their passing. But he focuses on the possibility of fighting and concern for an explosion so close to the main camp.

He realizes where he's going at the last second as his lean form cuts through the dense trees, back to where he had just come from. The samurai crest the tree line together at the same time, but it's Shichiroji who reacts first.

"Mai-sama!" For a moment, Kyuzo thought she was dead and couldn't describe the feeling that gave him or the one of relief that followed when she slowly got up. "Stay down, you're injured." Shichiroji says as he crouched down by her side.

Kyuzo choose not to crowd her and examined the damage of the outlying clearing. The remnants of a ribcage and other gorgy body parts lie in a ring of scorched grass and splatter from the explosion. The smell of ash, burnt skin and organs is sickening, but Kyuzo is used to it. He survived a war after all. He's more concerned _how _it got there more than anything.

"I'm fine. Most of this is her not me." Mai says plainly and he can't describe the feeling that feels his chest when he hears her voice that way either.

"And who was she?" He hears Shichiroji, followed by a feminine sigh.

"Rin Taiya, an Omashu." The blonde samurai whips around sharply to look at the kunoichi on the ground in a shocked manner at her words before Mai's body sways a little and she catches her head in her hand.

Kyuzo flinches ever so slightly, resisting the urge to catch her, but realizes she has nowhere to really fall and it would be odd for him to do so.

She apparently wants to act like nothing happened. Being overly concerned for such trivial things would be alarming to the others.

"Whoa, whoa, hey! That's why I told you to lay down." The older blonde chastises. "Kyuzo-dono, take her to go get cleaned up and then to the mikimaru's house for treatment." Shichiroji instructs, falling into the commander role effortlessly, and Kyuzo nods.

The crimson warrior has removed the space between them in the blink of an eye and has Mai in his arms in another. He realizes that carrying her is the best method. And with his arms under her knees and around her back is the most comfortable for the both of them. Even though she's protesting with a weak, "Put me down! I'm not an inviolate or a child." In a hiss, but he knows that she knows it's the best too.

"You have a concussion and you can't even sit up right." He tells her with a sharp look that leaves no room for argument, but still he's a little surprised her mouth snaps shut. Not one to miss an opportunity, he takes off through the trees before the farmers can get there.

He's still surprised at how incredibly lite she is. Despite her body being able to perform such impressive feats of strength and skill, she still feels frail to him at least. But he supposes in comparison to Kirara and the women Ukyo kept by his side she's as hard and firm as he is.

With his speed and impressive foresight he makes it to the hot spring near the priestess's home in record time. He deposits the blonde ninja on a rock by the spring before kneeling in front of her and in a commanding voice tell her, "Look ahead." He holds up a finger up and moves it from side to side, his own reds tracking her purple when she instinctively follows the test.

"I have a concussion. I could have told you that." She says plainly, almost oddly calm considering what happened. She's covered in soot and entrail splatter from a former colleague and doesn't even seem fazed by the blast. Kyuzo would be impressed by her high level of calm, if he wasn't so concerned that it was shock induced.

Finally, Mai appears to have had enough of the test and her hand snatches out to catch his. "Headache, mild dizziness and balance malfunction, blurred vision that has passed, and earring in the ears but that's probably from the blast. No nausea, memory loss, motor function control loss, tiredness, or sensor malfunction." She tells him clinically, slowly releasing his hand.

Kyuzo pauses and, despite his apprehension, he seems satisfied. The slightly taller blonde stands, towering over her while she's sitting. "What are you doing?" Mai asks as he divests himself of his swords, red coat, and boots.

"Do you want to drown?" Kyuzo asks cynically. Mai blinks a few times before she realizes what he's doing. The violet eyed blonde, seeming unconcerned for modesty, reaches for the nape of her neck to undo the clasp and remove her garment. "Keep them on." The samurai tells her, halting her instantly. "You need to get the blood off them." He encroaches on her before he lifts her back up quickly, one of her arms around his shoulders this time, and walks into the water.

"I'm more worried about the bits of person in my hair." Mai mentions off-handedly as her vision refocuses from the abrupt shift in being moved so quickly and lets herself be moved into the pool slowly.

The samurai leads them to the center of the pool where the water is deepest and stops there, a trail of swirling reds from the kunoichi in their wake. The water is up to his chest and just over her breast, making it easier for her to dunk herself and get the rest of the grime off. Mai steadies herself once she's let go and removes the kanazshi from her hair. The muddy golden locks tumble free down her back and she takes a deep breath before disappearing into the water's depths.

Kyuzo waits and watches the dark cloud billow up in the pool as the warm water washes her clean. She crests again quickly, wet but right of herself again, the sudden shift and intake of air making her sway. Before she can stumble though, a hand steadies her gently and Mai looks to her side at the stoic samurai.

He isn't really looking at her, however. He's carefully turning her so that her back is towards him, pulling the thick curtain of hair down her back away to look at the slash between her shoulder blades.

"It's mostly superficial." She tells him, adding mentally '_Rin never was good at hand to hand', _and represses the urge to shutter as the edge of it is caressed slowly down the short length of it before finger tips slide down her spine to her side.

"This one isn't." Kyuzo replies smoothly, brushing at the final attack struck in her side that clouds the water around it red at the touch.

"If it's none lethal, it's superficial." She tells him in her normal calm, grimacing at the pain of being poked at yet still feeling an immense calm. The urge to sway comes over her again as his hand slides back up her bare back and she quite certain her concussion and the steam has nothing to do with it.

The large, calloused hand goes to her shoulder, gazing the slights there, and she feels herself being turned again. She follows. Mai blames her impaired senses and warm air for making her so amicable with him, but knows it's a lie.

Violet eyes snap up to meet crimson when she's fully turned. And that look in his eyes is back despite his calm, serene face. She expects a kiss again, but is doesn't come. Instead, its Kyuzo's thumb grazes across her face at the fresh cut on her cheek bone, seeming to focus on the miniscule flinch in her face at the light touch. When it pulls back, she sees the digit holds no blood. So she wonders what the gesture was for.

"I think your fine now." He says in his typical, rough baritone and moves away. The water ripples around him as he walks out of the spring and seeming oblivious to Mai's confused stare.

Mai's eyes cast down, an odd feel akin to reject coming over her that she bitterly pushes away, and gets herself out of the pool, indeed more stable without him around. Her cheongsam and gloves feels uncomfortable now that it's wet and how it clings to her like a second skin. She tries to ignore it. But apparently someone else can't as easily.

"What?" Mai asks, looking down at the samurai seated on a rock staring at her so intently, as she wrings of her hair.

Kyzuo blinks, snapping out of his trance, and focusing again on putting his boots back on "Can you walk to the mikiumaru's?" He asks, not looking up again until his boots, jacket, and swords are on. Mai nods.

A tense moment fills the space between them. Perhaps one or both of them expecting the other to say something, but neither does anything. So, instead, the stealth fighters silently leave the hot springs in continued tense silence to the priestess's home.

* * *

"Sorry," Kirara apologies for the millionth time, still flinching more than Mai, as she applies healing salve and aid. It's made from the herbs and products that Mai had the village women collecting. And it stings just like Mai remember it too. But she's used to it.

"So, I know I shouldn't ask and that it's a stupid question, but why did that woman try to kill you?" Shichiroji asks. He and all the other samurai are crowded around the mikiumaru's home. Well, all except Kyuzo. He had left after getting Mai there, just stalked off into the dark silently.

"Sho sent her." Mai replies evenly, void on emotion as she thinks on that.

"And who is Sho?" The blonde samurai asks again.

"It is my impression that he's the current Grand Mal." The ninja replies again. A hint of a sigh passing her lips as a bandage is slide over the cut, the salve keeping it in place.

"Grand Mal?" Katsushiro questions curiously.

"The supreme commander of the Omashu," She replies while Kirara dabs salve onto the few small nicks in her shoulders. Figures the young priestess would worry over such trivial afflictions as much as the others.

"And why does he want you dead?" Shichiroji asks with a curious arched brow. At first maybe, Shichiroji was secretly cautious of the younger Omashu. But Kambei had been right and he too now sensed no ill spirit in her. She was a warrior of great honor and loyalty. Why would they try to kill her?

"Because I know that he killed Grand Mal Kenzo, the former Grand Mal." She replies and is unable to suppress the flinch this time when the young woman moves to her side. The young girl apologizing profusely.

"That's a pretty elaborate accusation Mai." Heihachi comments with an arched brow.

"It's not an accusation. It's the truth." Mai responds, almost sounding like a snap.

"Why?" The novice samurai asks and Mai pinches the bridge of her nose. It was almost more physically painful to tell them all these deep secrets than her wounds.

"Sho was Kenzo's nephew. They were close for the most part and Kenzo held him in the highest regard. But…as he got older…and after the war his, like many members', views changed on how the Omashu should be run. He wants bring the Omashu out of secret and turn them into warlords like the Nobuseri."

"And Kenzo-sama refused." Shichiroji summarizes.

"Of course," Mai responded.

"And Sho killed the Grand Mal for it." The other blonde deduced.

"Not exactly, he killed him because he was denied succession." Mai told them.

"So…Sho killed the Grand Mal, but pinned the murder on you and said he killed you to take the seat?" The redheaded engineer asks in clarification, scratching his head.

Mai nodded. "The Grand Mal is selected by one of three ways. By direct nomination of succession by the standing Grand Mal, through election should the current Mal die without naming a successor, or if the Grand Mal is killed through challenge. By saying he killed me; the traitor accused of killing the Grand Mal, Sho gets the title by extension of the third rite." She explained. "When Sho and his cell murdered the Grand Mal they fled. I pursued them with the intention of killing them all. But when the fight was almost decided, Sho cut through the ledge two of his comrades and I was standing on and we fell."

"And ended up washed up on a river bed miles away." Shichiroji finishes with a faint smirk.

"I assumed with no further pursers, and that the fall probably killed Jin and Shouta, they figured I died too. So I was the perfect scape goat. No other witnesses or challengers and Sho could take the title under the pretense of killing the Grand Mal's murder."

"This all seems very elaborate." Heihachi comments, perhaps a little skeptically.

"You don't know Sho. This is child's play in comparison to some of the schemes he's come up with." Mai tells him. If there was anything she truly feared it was the crooked precision of Sho's mind.

"So, what now?" Heihachi asks again, seeming concerned for the wanted ninja.

"They'll figure out Rin is dead when she doesn't come back in a few days." The blonde ponders quickly. "Sho will probably send more but his pool of assassins is limited. He can only pull from his former cell and three of the ten are dead. However, he can't risk the possibility of it being discovered that his former cell members are being executed when they leave to go on missions. The greatest number he could probably send at once currently is four."

"Four Omashu is still a lot. Kanna is in no shape right now to fight another battle just now. Nor will they be any closer in a few days." Shichiroji says seriously.

"They won't send them here. They'll assume I've moved once they've learned of Rin's defeat."

"Well, that's good! You can stay here and recover." Kirara says cheerfully.

"No, I have to leave." The ninja corrects and Kirara's face falls.

"But…you just said…" The water priestess flounders, wondering if she had missed or not understood something.

"Yes, it's an obvious move that they'll see coming. But Sho knows I don't have another choice. They'll literally burn this place to the ground and salt the Earth to kill me." Mai tells them seriously, but realizes that the truth of it was a little unsettling to them. "But if I'm not here, they can't do that. There would be no proof I was here either. So to the rest of the world, it would just look like they were picking on a rice farm or allied with the Nobuseri." She adds, hoping to alleviate their fears.

"But if they both work for the capital, aren't they allied already." Heihachi comments with a scratch of his head again.

"Technically but it is not talked about." Mai replies with a slight glare.

"Man, I really don't want to say ok to this! First Gorobei-dono, then Kambei leaves, I feel like I'm sending you to your death." Shichiroji says with a frown while rubbing the nape of his neck.

"Kambei's gone!" Kikuchiyo cries suddenly, being to only one to have not caught on that the senior samurai was gone.

"It'll take them some time to re-track me, especially if I get a few days head start. Besides it's at most only four of them." Mai tells him, ignoring the red mecha samurai.

"Four elite ninja who want to kill you." Shichiroji tells her seriously and the two blondes share a long look before the samurai sighs heavily. "I guess there's no way around it then. Lady Kirara, can you pack Mai-sama some medical supplies and provisions for her journey?"

"Yes, of course!" The priestess said with a bow and was off with her normal enthusiasm for being needed.

"Where do you think you'll go?" Heihachi asks, refocusing attention on the kunoichi.

"Not sure. I'll figure it out along the way." Mai tells him, rolling her shoulders carefully to relieve some tense and test her injuries fragility and

"How very zen of you." The older samurai says casually with a smile on his face. "But, if your still breathing in a week that's when we'll be heading to Respite to meet with the others. There's a place called the Firefly Inn there. Tell Yukino Shichiroji sent you if you beat us there."

"Or that Momotaru sent you!" Komachi cries with bright laughter.

"Don't tell her that!" Shichiroji scolds angrily, only to have it followed with more laughter.

"I'll leave as soon as Kirara is finished." Mai tells them, seeming satisfied with the results of her tests, and ceasing all laughter.

"So soon?" The engineer asks curiously. And Mai nods sharply.

"I have a concussion so I can't sleep anyway. I might as well make good use of a problem and get some space between me and the village." She explains calmly. She was fairly certain that Rin was alone so the potential of her or the village being attacked again was unlikely.

"Here, I hope it's enough to get you to where you're going." Kirara said upon returning with a pack similar to the one Rikichi had on their journey, but much smaller. Mai takes it with a thank you and slips it on her back while standing.

"Want one of us to come with you?" Shichiroji asks, silently conveying _'it's not sage to travel alone.'_

Mai glances down at him before answer. "No, I'll be fine." It's true; she doesn't want any of them to come with her. Or at least none of them in this room….

"Hope to see you in a week little lady," The blonde samurai says jovially with a smile as way to salutation. The blonde ninja spares him a faint smile before bowing her head slightly as if to say _'you too'._

As she leaves the mikiumaru's toward her own hut to collect her weapons and start her journey she hears a faint skitter across the straw roof. She snaps around at the noise but, seeing nothing, assumes it's a bird going off into the darkness.

* * *

_Muse Kuehai is still locked in her cage. I feed her internet cookies people send me in the form of reviews. Thanks for all the reviews and praise last time! I'm glad everyone is liking/or continuing to like it so far! Hope to have next chapter live by next week!_


	21. Chapter 21

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

It takes Mai two and a half days to get to where she wants to be. Over the rocky cliffs, through the desert, and around the cave of the Shikmoribito is a long journey, but she has to make it. She promised Kenzo that if anything should happen to him she would go see Jiro. She's already a month and a half late. She shouldn't keep him waiting any longer.

The trip gets easier once the Shikmoribito's caves are passed. The grassy plains yield no more mountains but rolling hills and soon, in the distance, a town comes into view. It is the trades town of Keshei. Built many years ago, before the merchant capital of Kogakyo, and comes nowhere near the size of its more industrial neighbor but stands more as a testament to a collaboration between the old and the new ways. It is here that Mai announces, "We've arrived."

She doesn't need to look behind her to know the silent red samurai is on her left. He's been there since they started, a practically silent shadow to the blonde kunoichi.

* * *

_The moon is still bright enough and high enough to travel by once Mai has collected her things and prepares to leave Kanna behind. She feels something almost akin to sadness as she heads for the bridge alone. These people had been nice to her, genuinely thankful for her service to their village. Some of them she might even miss one day, like Rikichi and…well, Rikichi. But it's for the best. Sho would have this place massacred in an effort to eliminate her and keep his stolen position of power. You'd have to pry it out of his cold dead hands to take it from him. And Mai planned to do just that._

_Her thoughts flee from Sho, festering her anger would get her nowhere, and they stumble onto the samurai. She genuinely hopes they are all alive by the end of the weeks' time when they plan to storm the capital. She thinks she may miss her new comrades even. Some more than others…._

_She knows it's childish, but she is a little miffed she hadn't seen or heard from Kyuzo before she took her leave. She doesn't know why she feels surprised or possibly hurt by this, Kyuzo did not seem like one for sunset long goodbyes or anything of the sort. And to be fair, she wasn't either. But if their roles had been switched she would have at least taken the opportunity to say goodbye. Gods knew if they'd ever see each other again._

_Or perhaps she had indeed miscalculated the samurai. Maybe now that he had bedded her, so to speak because there had been no bed, he wanted nothing more to do with her. A bit of cold comfort for after the first war and before they went into another._

_Her hand grips the strap of her pack a little tighter at that, but she refuses to give into the feeling creeping to her chest. She had made a decision, same as him. And now she would have to live with that choice, same as him. She would not regret something she had willingly agreed to. Nor would she regret things that were not meant to be for her._

_Suddenly th__e kunoichi halts in the middle of the path as she feels the presence of another. Her violet eyes fix on the samurai in front of her, not even trying to hide. He's leaning against one of the trees that line the path before the forest tappers off near the bridge, looking statuesque in his almost meditative state as he waited. Then, his red eyes crack open. His arms uncross and legs uncross as he stands from his post. And she knows without question that he's been waiting for her._

_"Come to wish me safe travels great samurai?" Mai asks with her normal snide inflection on the great. But as usual, Kyuzo is not baited._

_"Kambei has gone to the capital." The red samurai responds evenly. Mai wasn't sure what she had expected him to say. But it certainly wasn't that._

_"And?" She questions, sculpted brow arched inquisitively._

_"That's where you're going." He replies, voice still flat and devoid of emotion as he stated the fact. Mai's eyes widen for a second before she too returns to her normal flat expression._

_"Not right now." She confesses. She knows their work is not done and there are people she needs to see at the capital, but right now isn't an option. "Besides, I have some where to go first."_

_"Where?"_

_"Keshei."_

_"Why?"_

_"I have someone I need to see."_

_Kyuzo's eyes drops to the ground for a moment. He seems to ponder this information quietly, mull it over in his head, before he lifts his gaze again toward her and says "Ok."_

_Mai arches her brow at him again. "Ok? Just like that? Who even said I wanted you could come with me?"_

_"You don't want me?" Kyuzo questions, space disappearing to only fractions apart and seeming serious about that statement and missing the duel intention. Mai's expression balks momentarily before it creases into one of mild irritation at him._

_"You did that on purpose." The kunoichi accuses and misses the wolfish smirk on his face when she passes._

* * *

"Jiro lives on the western side of the hill scape away from the village." Mai tells Kyuzo over her shoulder, as she continues walking down the hill they've crested to view the town fully. Keshei is surrounded by them.

"Why?" Kyuzo asks suddenly as they venture.

"He doesn't like people." She replies casually.

"No, why are we here?" He clarifies.

"You choose to ask now?" Mai asks with an arched brow. He hadn't asked why or what for once during their trek and he chooses now to ask why they come all this way now that they are here? She's actually curious as to what possessed him to come along, but has found an appropriate time to ask. "Kenzo told me to see him if he died."

"Why?" The samurai asks again.

"I don't know." Mai confesses as they walk. Kenzo had never told her why she had to see him, no matter how much she asked, but if it was important enough for Kenzo to make her promise she would do it.

"Aren't you concerned he'll try to kill you?" Kyuzo questions with a side long glance. It seems a great deal of a risk to see a man who was close enough to the murdered Mal to entrust his dying declarations or momentous to if you are accused of murdering him. Even so she doesn't seem bothered.

"Jiro-sensei probably won't try to kill me. And besides, it's irrelevant, I made a promise." Mai says seriously and Kyzuo looks out of the corner of his eye at her again, silently marveled at Mai's sense of loyalty even if it may get her killed.

"I thought Kenzo was your sensei."

"He was, but you should know that true warriors have more than one teacher." The other blonde tells him with a small smirk and sideways glance. "Kenzo taught me everything. Jiro perfected it."

"He's that good then?" Kyuzo asks with another sideways glance and hint of a smirk. He meant it as a complement. He wouldn't be foolish and sap poetics about her beauty or grace like he's sure Katsushiro or Shichiroji. It was unnecessary and she wouldn't appreciate it. But he would complement her on the thing he held highest in regard, skill. And judging by the hint of a smile on her face, she understands.

"Yes, he is. And don't even think about it _samurai_. Not only am I _sure_ he would kill you, you're life has already been promised to both Kambei and me. Stop signing off your life to people before your battles are already won." Mai replies sharply, the complement not even dulling the sting in her words. Kyuzo makes a face to himself quietly. _'Figures' _ "This is it." The blonde female announces when they reach a parcel of land with a modest home in the near distance.

All wood, with a wraparound fenced in porch, rice paper covered windows, well-kept and maintained. It reminds Kyuzo of the home he grew up in as a child, a home of similar structure and placement, near but away from the village to allow ample space for training and distance from other villagers. He hadn't been sure then why but now he could guess that the distance had been just as much for them as his family. People were often leery of those who serve by the blade. They appreciated them, but did not want to associate with them.

The red samurai prepares to cross the moat of grass towards the home when an hand reaches out and grasps his arm.

"Maybe you should stay here. Jiro-sama isn't very good with unannounced visitors. And I'm not sure how he'll react to me being here." Mai warns him, violet eyes looking at him from their creases. Kyuzo looks down at her and just furrows his brows slightly to covey to her _'no, I'm not willingly going to let you get ambushed.'_ Mai shrugs a little as if to say _'suit yourself'_ and with the silent conversation completed there is another momentary pause before the two cross the yard through the path leading to the house.

The samurai is on high alert as they walk and take the small steps towards the door. They creek under their weight and Kyuzo assumes it's a measure of defense rather than neglect if this man is as skilled as Mai says. A normal man would have ignored it. A samurai would have heard it a mile away.

Their boots clunk against the wooden boards of the porch as they approach the door. Mai seems to steel herself for the moment, poised with the handle, before letting herself in. Kyuzo follows cautiously.

Glancing around, Mai sees no sign of what she's apparently looking for and furthers on. Kyuzo, seeing no sign of a threat, closes the door behind them and continues to follow. Indeed, it is a nice how as he suspected but seems far too quiet for him. As they head down the hallway, Mai opens doors along the way calmly. One door on the left is slid open to reveal an empty sitting room. Another on the right back out to the porch and a small rock garden. Another is a spare room empty but possibly for guests to sleep. Closing each door behind her, Mai seems to be getting frustrated at the empty rooms, but searches on.

Finally the hallway ends and Mai opens the final door, her shoulder visibly deflating as that room too is empty. Kyuzo assumes that the man she's looking for isn't here. He hasn't sensed the presence of anyone since they arrived at the house. Maybe this Jiro has gone since the last time she had been there.

"That's a neat trick you do, come back from the dead like that." The sudden words startle the blonde warriors and Kyuzo's hand instantly snaps to his top sword hilt at the start. He was certain they were alone. But there, in a small nook hidden from initial view of the room, sits a greyed man who reminds him of how Kambei might look in later years in front of a small fire pit casually stirring a copper pot with his back towards them. "Of course I'm not surprised. When I heard what happened, I knew it was a lie." The man continues casually, not pausing in his stirring or seeming to care that the samurai is poised to strike him.

"How?" Mai asks in amazement and Jiro chuckles lazily.

"Sho and a cell of six defeating _you_ and only two died? Next they'll be trying to tell me unicorns carrying virgins and pisses good sake will come to my door." He tells her and chuckles louder as he picks lint off his kimono shoulder.

Kyuzo, sensing her ease and no threat of danger, slowly releases his stance and his sword back to calm.

"So you never thought it was me." The woman asks with a hint of a smile and Jiro scoffs at the question.

"If I did you wouldn't have made it past the yard." He tells her seriously, the sound of a smirk on his lips. "Who's he?" The aged man tilts his head towards Kyuzo, not looking up from his pot still and continuing to stir.

"Kyuzo, a samurai." Mai answers evenly.

"I know he's a samurai. That's why I didn't ask what he was." Jiro replies, lifting up a ladle full of the pots contents and pouring it back in lazily. "You got a family name Kyuzo the samurai?"

"No." The younger man replies gruffly.

"Are you like the lovely lady Mai and an outcast?" The older man rebuttals.

"No." Kyuzo says again.

"So you have a family name, you just don't want to share it. Fair enough," The aged warrior replies causally with a shrug. Still seeming more interested in the contents of his pot than his guests. "Well, come here; let's have a look at you." He says and stretches out his arm, hand out waiting to be taken.

Kyuzo furrows his brows as he turns to Mai. She doesn't answer as she juts her chin towards the older man, silently telling him to go. He says nothing, but doesn't attempt to argue as he crosses the room.

He takes Jiro's hand and the blonde jerks a little as his wrist is clasped by the other, face stricken with confusion as it feels up and down his arm. "Hmm…a _good_ samurai, not many of those still alive. Tall, lean, light on your feet, you sure you're not one of ours kid?" Finally, he looks up with a grin at Kyuzo and it startles the blonde when he looks back into milky blue eyes. _'He's blind.'_

"Your left handed aren't ca. Though I guess it doesn't really matter much at this point. You favor that side, but it's slight really." Jiro continues, looking back off into space when he takes Kyuzo other hand. He chuckles a little, seeming to sense Kyuzo confusion as to how he knew that, "Just because I'm blind, doesn't mean I can't see. I just see the things now that most people can't with their eyes."

"Before Jiro-sama lost his sight he was positioned as fukutaichou to Grand Mal Nagi because of his skill and insight." Mai says as way of explanation of the blind warrior great skill.

"Ah, Grand Mal Nagi. Where if only my last true sight on this Earth to be her divine splendor and not that bomb to the face." Jiro says good-humoredly and returns to him stirring. "But I'm guessing that you didn't come here to talk about my loss of vision. Or did you come all this way and back from the dead to visit with your old sensei?"

"Kenzo told me to come see you if anything should happen to him." The blonde kunoichi tells him.

"He did did he?" The older man says in a common drawl. But Mai is not pleased.

"Don't play coy with me Jiro. I'm in no mood for games." The woman retorts seriously. But Jiro just snickers quietly.

"Well that's a shame because I am and you never are. This is why we could never be friends Mai. You, samurai, you like games." He asks, looking up at Kyuzo again with pale eyes before returning towards his pot. "Guess not."

"What did Kenzo leave you Jiro?" Mai demands.

"He didn't leave me anything."

"Then he told you something."

"He didn't tell me anything."

"That's a lie! You were his closest friend since training school. He told you everything."

"Did he tell you that? I'm touched, truly. I almost feel sorry for calling him a greasy old monkey behind his back all those years." The older man says with flat humor.

"This isn't funny old man!" Mai shouts angrily, ending their back and forth, and Kyuzo is surprised by the outburst. Jiro, however, is not.

"And _there's_ the Mai I know and love!" He says, clapping once and laughing before turning around to face the other Omashu. "Your right, Kenzo did tell me something. But for the life of me I can't remember what it is. I just can't think straight on an empty stomach." He tells her with a broad grin.

"I'm not making you food." Mai replies, back to her normal placidity but coiled ridge with rage.

"Really? Did you plan on staying somewhere else then? I doubt it since there's no inn in town and you don't know anyone else here. Plus that little hiccup that you're supposed to be dead. And isn't it custom for an Omashu seeking refuge to be indebted to their keeper service during their stay? I don't know. It's been so long since I've been an active Omashu. Maybe the rule changed." Jiro says, stroking his chin in dramatic ponder.

Mai seethes through her teeth at him momentarily and there's a second where Kyuzo thinks she's going to through a shiruken at him and kill the man they came all the way here to see. He's not sure what would have surprised him more, if she did or that she stalks off to an adjourning room he assumes is the kitchen.

There's a loud ruckus of cabinets banging and things being moved before Mai appears again.

"There's no food in your house Jiro." The blonde woman tells him and the older man smirks cheekily.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that. Here," A coin purse is produced from the sleeve of Jiro's kimono and tossed with amazing accuracy at the kunoichi. "Head down to the market in town and pick me up some things, except beets. I hate beets. Resupply while you're down there if you like." He tells her with a cat-ate-the-canary grin at his former protégé.

Mai bristles and looks ready to yell or screech at him. But all that comes out is an ominous low, "I hate you so much old man." Before she stalks back past the men heading for the door.

"Awww! Don't be like that! Ok, you can get beets just not a lot of them! Hey! Take this samurai with you! He creeps me out and I don't want him touching my things!"

* * *

_Thanks to Zaryin, MoonDancer89, darkin520, FoxandDogchan27, and HeavenlyCondemed as well as guests for their reviews last time! I planned on making this longer but had to split it because it was getting on over 15 pages as is (and wasn't finished 0-0). I would really love any and all feedback and appreciate it greatly!_

_Thanks for reading!_


	22. Chapter 22

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

The people in the market place all seem skittish of the two unknown blondes that saunter into their village. Not accustom to strangers, they part around them like rocks jutting out of a stream with their heads bowed to not meet the warriors gazes for fear of what might become of them.

And for the first time Kyuzo is sure the people aren't scurrying away because of him.

Mai was intimidating in her normal state. Her tall height for a woman, her cold eyes, her smooth expression that always looked crossed between placid and distain, her dark attire littered with weapons, the stride in her steps like a jaguar that, like the large cat, lets you know she is dangerous if confronted.

But, with the heavy dark cloud of anger and irritation in her aura, that hint towards danger turned into an outright promise for anyone who dare cross the kunoichi.

Kyuzo said nothing to her on the subject, just calmly walked behind her like a red shadow through the streets and various stalls. He may not know that much about interacting with the opposite sex but he knew enough about battle to know not to engage a hostile subject if it wasn't necessary. He had heard Ukyo and other men from his past complain about women and how they almost ripped their heads off for one reason or another. At the time, he had thought them fools. At this current moment, he could understand their fears. Only with Kyuzo, it wasn't a figure of speak. He was legitimately concerned that she may try to take off his head if he said the wrong thing.

So instead he said nothing.

Mai seemed to not notice or care on what he was doing. Too focused on her irritation at the old man and this chore he had sent her on, mutter under her breath like a mad woman about how he was irksome and 'hadn't changed', to pay attention to anything else.

She picks out various vegetables, fruits, breads, and meats that he doesn't think has rhyme or reason to it but seems to know what she's doing. He guesses that she's done this before. The tit for tat between the old man and former pupil seems well rehearsed and played. Jiro seems to know all the secret hidden buttons to push in Mai. And judging by the weeks' worth of beets she's getting so does she.

However, despite whatever white hot fury she may harbor towards the man's 'irksome'-ness, she still pays the woman at the shop they go to double to have the same order delivered next week to Jiro's house, minus the beets.

Kyuzo smirks behind her, finding it positively entertaining that despite Jiro's 'irksome'-ness she still feels the need to take care of her old sensei. The samurai briefly wonders that, if his sensei hadn't died, would he be as loyal or as concerned for him as Mai and Katsushiro seemed to be for theirs.

The darker blonde takes a deep breath once the purchased parcels are placed on the counter for them to take their leave. He can't tell if it's to steady herself to carry it all back or if it's to ready herself to deal with the irksome man again. Regardless, he silently takes the larger sack and hauls it on his shoulder with an aloof stare. The move causes her to whip around and she seems to just notice that he's been there.

Mai studies him for a second before she closes her eyes, takes another quick breath, and when her eyes open again her mask of fluid calm is back in place.

She picks up the other parcels and regards him with a cool stare and a simple, "Let's go."

Kyuzo mentally adds for her _'let's get this over with.'_

* * *

The journey pack through the village and up the hill scape is again traveled in silence, but a much more placid than before.

It's a calming sort of sensation, like meditation almost; being next to her like this. This is odd for him since he's not normally accustomed to enjoying the company of people. He likes silence though. He appreciates it. He never understood why people were so afraid of silence.

Filling the space with unnecessary words was a practice deemed useless to him. It distracted from your surrounding when clamoring for ideal chit-chat. You could miss encroaching attackers or something innocent as a shift in the weather or breeze. Or you could miss the subtle yet pressing presence of a person next to you on a bright sunny day on a meadowed hill.

Mai seems to also appreciate silence. And he is eternally grateful that she does not feel the need to fill the space with mindless chatter like the priestess and other women. But Kyuzo has long ago accepted that she is not like other women. He appreciates that as well. But, he thinks, perhaps appreciates is not the right word.

The samurai halts alongside the kunoichi when she comes to an abrupt stop. "Someone is here." Mai announces with eyes that stare off into things that can't be seen. Kyuzo frowns and eyes narrow. His own mental eye reaches out and indeed there is someone else here. Hesitant with caution, he continues with the other blonde towards the side of the house where the presences emanates. He shifts the sack fluidly to his other shoulder as they walk so that his arm can hang free by his bottom sword hilt. He can feel more than see Mai do the same, prepared for attack.

"Oh my! I didn't know you were expecting other company Jiro." A woman of later years sitting next to Jiro on the back pouch exclaims when they round the corner. Kyuzo's hand shifts away from his sword hilt and Mai does the same to her weapons upon discovery that it is not an intruder, but what looks like a guest in their midst.

"Suki, this is my niece Mai, my brother's child. And her husband, Kyuzo the samurai. They've come for a visit." The greying man says with a feline like smirk as he looks unseeingly into the distance and fantastically proud of himself.

"Oh my, what a handsome young couple! You seem so young for a samurai though Kyuzo-san. And Jiro, your niece is positively stunning!" The older woman, Suki, exclaims not seeming to notice the thick tension now in the air between the two and the old man.

Jiro, for his part, doesn't seem to either. "It's a family trait my dear."

"Gomen Suki-sama." Mai replies with a bow of her head. And when it rises, Kyuzo can tell that a new mask has been put on. This one is all sweetness and light. But like her act as a frightened peasant, this face does not suit her and makes his nearly perpetual frown crease deeper.

"Oh please dear, just call me Suki. But tell me, how long have you two been married?" It's an innocent question really, typical small talk from old ladies. But the question makes Mai's eyes flutter slightly as her brain reels for a believable answer.

"A little over a year," The reply comes, but not from her.

Mai's face snaps over her shoulder quickly, but Kyuzo's face holds no further answer than his words. "Yes, this spring." She agrees easily when she turns around with a sweet smile, looping her free arm around Kyuzo's, reminiscent of the time on the rock ledge for good measure. And it is her hope, as with then, that they look like a happy couple in love to their onlooker.

"Oh my, young love! Well I wish you nothing but the best and good fortune in your years to come." The elderly woman tells them before standing. "It was lovely to meet you, but I should be going."

"Ah, Suki! No! You should stay for dinner. Mai is cooking. You'd be in for a real treat."

"Unfortunately, you didn't tell me you'd be having guests _uncle._ I don't think we have enough." Mai cautions, poison under that sweet coating. Her smile is stretched so tight with such force she fears her face may break.

"Nonsense! I'm sure there would be plenty. And you can always get more." Jiro says with a wide grin. Kyuzo tries very hard not to flinch when Mai's finger tips dig deep into his arm. He'd marvel at her ability to restrain herself if he wasn't the one receiving the brunt of her wrath in exchange.

"Oh ho ho ho, thank you. But really, I do need to be going. I have to get home and cook my own supper for my own husband. They wouldn't know what to do without us eh?" The older woman jokes with a crinkled eye smile and jab to Mai's side. The younger blonde strains a gracious smile and turns with her 'husband' to watch her leave.

As soon as Suki's head of ash colored hair disappears over the bend her mask is dropped as quickly as Kyuzo's arm and pretenses, once more to her normal placid calm. She quickly crests the rest of the yard and bounds the steps with long strides.

"Ow! What the hell was that for?" Jiro barks rubbing his head from the swift cuff it's received.

"You know what for." Mai hisses, eyes narrowed in a sharp glare. How dare he spout such nonsense to strangers. They wedded….

"Did you have a better lie lined up for why the two of you are here and why the _two_ of you are here? Because I would love to hear it. Actually I would love to hear why the _two_ of you are here anyway." Mai has no reply, but her glare does intensify before she stalks off into the house. Jiro smirks quietly to himself before turning to Kyuzo. "What?"

The samurai says nothing. At this point arguing about a lie, that he may not agree with but realizes the necessity of, once it's been told is pointless.

He instead places the sack on the pouch and walks off into the training yard he spotted on arrival. He hasn't practiced his kata in a while and now seemed a good a time as any.

* * *

The singing of swords through the air in a practiced, almost ritualistic dance cries out across the training field. And like a ritual, Kyuzo's eyes are closed as if the kata is a form of meditation. For him, it is.

He feels most at peace, most at home, when his swords are in his hands. Most samurai dread practicing kata, feeling the movements inadequate to their current level of skill, but Kyuzo never shared that feeling. He loves to bask the fluid motion of his swords unrushed and untempered like they are in the heat of battle. They, like him, relax in the soothing calm of choreographed movements. Like tai chi but with swords.

When the kata finished his swords always seem to find their way back into their homes on his back. As the hilts click into place, Kyuzo's eyes snap open at the sound of clapping. The samurai whips around to look at the older man that has snuck up on him so easily. He glares at the blind man, even though Jiro can't see it, unhappy that he's able to do that.

"You really are good." The aged ninja tells him with his ever present smirk. "I can't see it with my eyes, but I can see it what the rest of me. Two swords, almost perfect form, speed. I'd almost say that you were a match for Mai. Almost." Kyuzo's glare deepens at the challenge of his skill, but Jiro is plays ignorant to this and continues. "Mai was a prodigy in the art of death and ninjutsu. She's good at many things, but that was what she was best at. I worry what will happen to her when this little trip of yours is over. Were you a prodigy to Kyuzo the samurai?"

"Yes," The red samurai replies. It wasn't out of hubris that he agreed with that. It was a common fact. Everyone told him. His father, his sensei, his comrades in battle, Ayamaro, his brat. Even at a young age, when he was still practicing with kendo sticks before his real swords, his father had commented 'he'll be a great samurai one day.'

"I never liked the term prodigy. Puts people on a pedestal above others." Jiro tells him, scratching the back of his head and then his facial scruff in a bored manner before blind eyes turn back toward him. "You know the biggest problem with pedestals kid? No one can reach them."

'No one can reach them' means no one can get close to them. No one usually wanted to; they were either too scared or too jealous of their skills. He had experienced that time and time again. From Tessai, Hyogo, his comrades in battle, his siblings. And then the pedestal becomes a cage for which no one has the key. No one can hope to reach you, and in return you can never hope to reach them.

Kyuzo notices Jiro tilt his head a little bit to the side and then speaks. "Mai's finished cooking. Come on! I'm starving and it's been over an hour since I've ruffled her feathers." The older man says in a jovial tone. Kyuzo, though curious as to how he would know that, would respect Mai's sensei and their host and follows.

* * *

The men return back into the house just in time to see Mai crest the kitchen door with a tray loaded with steaming pots and plates.

"Here, I even made your favorite so you couldn't ask me to do it again." The woman tells him in an angry tone as she transfers the food onto the table. And somehow Kyuzo knows that that scenario has happened before.

"Awww, You remember my favorite? How sweet!" Jiro says, flopping into a seat at his table.

"Now will you tell me what Kenzo told you?" Mai asks again with an exasperated expression.

"Can I at least eat this delicious meal you've cooked for me before you start in on me again little flower? Hey you, samurai, sit down and have some of this. Mai was my favorite protégé you know. She was the best cook out of the lot of them." Jiro tells him proudly. Kyuzo sits and thanks him calmly for sharing his meal before preparing his own portion of the food. "Plus if she poisoned it I want to make it as difficult as possible to hide the bodies."

Kyuzo stops, morsel poised at his mouth for his first bite, and looks at Mai. The other blonde looks at him with a look of _'Really?'_ and snatches a bite from his bowl with her chopstick and eats it. The samurai smirks a little and takes the bite still hanging by his lips, his expression flittering with surprise. Jiro was right. Mai was a good cook. He hadn't expected that.

They eat in silence. The soft clink of chopsticks against bowls and spoons filling the space before Jiro suddenly speaks.

"So, were you one of those samurai that saved that village from Nobuseri?" The old man's question causes the blondes to freeze and stare wide eyed at the older man in front of them. "I see things other people miss, remember. And word like that travels fast. You both smell like a farm village, and the desert you had to walk through to get here, and mecha ash. That shit is impossible to wash off."

"And if we were?" Kyuzo asks, neither confirming nor denying Jiro's decided suspicions, as he eats from his bowl calmly.

"Makes no difference to me one way or the other, just making conversation." He says and turns to the general direction of the blonde woman. "Mai, I'm cold."

"So put on a blanket. Don't old people do that, shuffle around their houses in shawls and slippers?" The blonde comments with a jut of her brow and continues to eat her own meal slowly.

"Ha, ha. I'm not that old yet _young_ lady. Throw some wood in the furnace." Jiro says around mouthfuls of food.

Mai grits her teeth. "There's no wood in the rack."

"There's a ton of wood out back though." Jiro replies seriously, helping himself to seconds already.

"It's not cut." She strains while setting down her chopsticks with equal effort to remain calm.

"Well, there's a handy little thing called an axe out there. And you know what you can do with an axe? You can chop things with it." The old sensei replies in a cheeky manner with an equally cheeky grin.

Mai looks ready to scream. Her hands poised to lash out and strangle him. But whether it is her iron will or divine intervention, she takes a deep breath, places her hands on the table, and pushes herself up from her seat to go outside.

Jiro chuckles lowly as he hears the back door slam and resumes eating.

"She's going to kill you." The older man stops and looks up from his food at the younger man's warning.

"Nah she won't. If she wanted to kill me, I'd already be dead. But poking at her is about as much excitement as I get these days." The salt and peppered haired man replies with a shrug before his blind eyes shift towards him. "Not to pry, but where are you headed next. I enjoy company as much as any hermit, but you can't stay here forever."

"The capital," Kyuzo answers. Devulging such information to the man wouldn't hinder anything. Jiro, though a pest at times, seemed like a good and honest man. A warrior he would have liked to meet while in use before he lost his sight.

The older man nods. "Ah, the capital, I remember when it wasn't the floating eye in the sky. But I guess that shows my age." He says, not seeming surprised by Kyuzo's answer. "Was that your idea or hers?"

"Neither," The decision had been made before they returned to Kanna from the canyon, most likely Kambei and Shichirojis' plan.

"Hm, well, I guess it makes no difference. You know you'll die if you go to the capital right. There's not a question on that. Aside from the Nobuseri, Sho has strongly allied himself with the capital in the few months he's been Mal. You'll never make it out alive." Jiro says for once gravely serious.

"I'm not afraid to die." Kyuzo replies flatly and he's surprise that the older man chuckles.

"But it's not your death you're afraid of." He tells him and Kyuzo straightens.

"Here" Mai announces as she heavily deposits her load of fire wood into the rack by the door. "Now will you tell me what Kenzo told you?"

"Ah, you know, I would love to. But my back is just killing me now. I think I need to lie down and get some rest. I'm an old man you know." Jiro says, hunching over on purpose as he stands before striding off into the house. "Be sure to clean up before bed. Spare room's where it's always been. Futon should be clean. Try to be quiet if you're going to be lewd and unseemly."

Kyuzo isn't sure how but Jiro somehow side steps the shuriken flies past his head into the wood with a deep 'thunk'. He knows she aimed to miss, but still….

It's unlike him, but he's worried if Jiro keeps this up she might actually kill him.

* * *

_Jiro is currently my new favorite make believe character (and apparently everyone elses) aside from Nausika (from another story). Snarky old man..._

_Super special surprise chapter filled with all the feels next time! Keep an eye out for that!_

_Thanks to Zaryin, MoonDancer89, the hotpocket hunter, krystal-cut-eyes , Serenity, FoxandDogchan27, HeavenlyCondemed, Emerald Gaze, NinjaChipmunk, and EvilBoyzR2Cute, as well as guests for their reviews last time! I would really love any and all feedback and appreciate it greatly!_

_Thanks for reading!_


	23. Chapter 23

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

_**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Writing Goddess who reviewed every chapter of this story consecutively over two days and requested this chapter be dedicated to her.**  
_

* * *

Night falls heavy over Keshei. Lights from homes wink in the dark like firefly tails from the view at Jiro's home. Kyuzo would find it beautiful or romantic in some fashion, if he were incline to think that way.

Instead the samurai sits on the floor by the open window, enjoying the fresh cool night air that calms and refreshes. His eyes do not look on towards the town but are drawn to the moon waxing amongst the stars. He still didn't understand the fascination with it but he was beginning to grow his own admiration for the glowing orb.

The samurai's head turns slightly to the sound of the door opening and closing quietly followed by faint foot falls.

"Not tired?" Mai's voice asks in the dark, the sound of her boots being left at the door following. Kyuzo shrugs at the question. Is he tired? Yes, he is. It's been a long trip and an even longer few days before that. Is he ready for sleep? No, not yet.

He's too busy thinking. Thinking about their comrades and how they are doing, Kambei and where he's gone, the rest of their mission and where it will lead, and her and…what that means.

Mai doesn't prod into him further and silence sets in again. "Do you want the left or the right?" She asks after a bit. The rustling tells him that she's talking about the futon and Kyuzo shrugs again.

"I can sleep outside." He replies evenly, his visible red eye looking at her coolly through the thick mop of blonde hair.

Mai furrows a brow at him in indignation. "You aren't a dog. We're both adults. I'm sure we can both sleep in a reasonably sized futon respectively." She tells him and apparently has chosen for him as she sits on the right side.

Kyuzo watches her remove the bulk of her weapons, but not all of them. Her kukri dagger, wakizashi, and two of her shuriken pouches are placed in an organized line on top of her folded jacket. Her gloves are also removed and folded next to them. The samurai watches the practiced, ordered movements one by one and thinks when they are done that will be the end of it. She'd slip under the covers and go to sleep, not speaking to him again about more important things.

But when they are done, the kunoichi continues to sit in perfect seiza on the futon, staring at her hands before finally the silence breaks. "Was it because you wanted a woman or because I was the woman?" She almost doesn't want to ask because she doesn't want to know. But she has to. It bothers her and it bothers her that it bothers her, like a gnat that refuses to go away. She has to know if it was her he desired or if she had just been the most acceptable outlet for a problem. Either way, she was fine with both, but she had to know one way or the other. Has to know where they stand.

There is a long pause that fills the room before Kyuzo answers. "It was because I wanted a woman." He responds in his normal gruff tone and Mai can't describe the feeling that comes over her. It's like heavy stones have been dropped in her stomach and her chest. It's not painful. She can handle pain. It's more like a suffocating. And she always thought suffocation was the worst way to die. So distracted by the weight in her chest, she completely misses when exactly the red samurai has slid up behind her until his voice in her ear. "You were the woman."

Mai turns over her shoulder with an inquiring stare but it's ignored by the samurai who grasps her chin and seals his lips to hers.

The kiss is soft and apprehensive at first, just to express that he wanted her. But it quickly turns to fast and heated because he wanted her. Bad.

He had almost forgotten what it was like to touch her. Almost. He honestly thinks that he will never forget the burning sensation that courses through him when he touches her. He realizes it's just easier to ignore when he isn't.

The scene is soon becoming reminiscent of the one in the woods and Kyuzo can feel himself getting lost in the heat again. But just as he's sure his passion will soon be stated, she pulls away.

"Stop." She orders when she snaps away, lips blushed from kisses, and for a moment Kyuzo worries that he's done something wrong. That perhaps he's mistaken her question for reciprocated desire for him. But the look on her face tells him that her ire is not with him but with something far away. "Do you smell that?"

It's not the question he had been expecting so it startles him a little. But it is enough to get him to take a large sniff of the air and his brow to crease further. "Almonds…*" He mummers before he looks at the kunoichi in surprise.

Fretful violet eyes connect with his for a second before they both snap into action. Their masks are quickly pulled over their faces and Kyuzo's swords are suddenly on his back again while Mai's coat and sword are just as quickly back in place with her boots as they rush out of the room.

"Get Jiro," Mai tells Kyuzo who reluctantly nods and carries off.

The kunoichi spares the samurai one last look before she heads for and out the front door, but stops quickly as an arrow flies into the ground at her feet when she reaches the court yard.

"Hello Mai." Violet eyes snap up towards a man probably no more than Heihachi's age but much more predator than the engineering wood chopper. His attire is dark. His brown hair cut very short. His face scared on the left side from a sword that should have taken his eye.

"Hello Hari. Where's Kari*?" Mai asks in a civil sort of notion as she removes her mask, an obvious challenge to the other Omashu.

"She's around." Hari says and holds up a hand. On cue a set of arrows flies out from the tree line at the blonde, but are quickly destroyed by her sword. The younger man sneers but is not surprised and his meteor hammer's mace makes a long racket when it smacks into the concrete path once the chain is removed from his waist.

Mai's eyes flicker from the metal ball to Hari then gives a small shrug. "Alright then." She says while fanning out three more shuriken suddenly in hand. It's obvious there's no talking him out of this. Hari and his twin were always too overzealous and had little patience for the art of pre-battle conversation.

The Omashu cross. Hari whips the hammer of his weapon back hard enough for the chain to snap like a whip before it propels towards Mai. The older woman diverts the hurled iron orb and flings her shuriken at him. The chain snaps again as Hari uses the long cord to block the weapons path, an almost impossible feat that looks simple with Hari's practice mastery, and the snap this time brings with it another bunch of arrows from the tree line. These too are also destroyed before they can reach their target of her back but hold a fatal mistake.

Hari, anticipating this, whips the chain and snaps it back quickly so that the hammer doubles back. The propulsion of the hammer's mace whipping around Mai's neck several times quickly before it comes back to his hand so that he's holding the chain now like horse reigns.

Mai's hands fly to the chain but knows dislodging it is useless. With Hari holding both ends there's no way to get the metal cord off now that it's latched on and he approaches the saidai as he begins to strangle her, slowly.

She falls to her knees. Her face becomes beet red from suffocation. Her vision begins to swim through watery eyes as its edges turn dark. Her lungs burning for purchase on air that can't be bought.

Just as conciseness is almost lost or the fragile vertebrae of her neck are snapped, Hari cries out and a side of the chain drops. The hold on Mai's neck weakens and she stumbles on the ground on weak limbs as her lungs regain air. Mai gasps and looks up to see what's happened to find an arrow deep in Hari's shoulder. _'Kari….?'_

"Whoa, whoa, I think this has gone on long enough." The Omashu in the courtyard both whip their heads toward the roof of the house where an old, blind man sits holding a bow in the moon light.

"What are you doing old man?! She deserves to die! She killed the Grand Mal!" Hari shouts, not seeming bothered anymore by the arrow in his arm and recollecting the other side of the chain with his uninjured arm. He can't strangle her as affectively with one hand, but he can keep her in place on her knees. He wouldn't be fool enough to let her back up. He had been remarkably lucky to get her there so quickly in the first place, he wouldn't miss use his good fortune.

"Really? And what proof do you have of that? Aside from Sho's words what evidence is there to convict Saidai Mai of such a crime?" Jiro asks seriously from the roof top, swaying the bow around like a toy as he speaks with his hands.

"Sho's words are all we need! We are loyal to him above all else! He told us to kill her and we will!"

"Then you and your sister are blinder than I am Hari." Jiro chastises and Hari sneers.

"How dare you?!" Hari snaps but freezes as the suddenly loaded bow is leveled on him again.

"You wanna try that again son?" Jiro asks with a dangerous sort of calm before his mirth has returned as he lower the bow. "So tell me, why did Mai kill the Grand Mal? You don't just kill people for no reason. What was hers?"

"She did it to steal the Grand Mal seat from Kenzo! She wanted power! She wanted to rule us all!" The brunette cries and in his zeal tightens the chain on Mai's neck to get a small croak out of her. She's back to normal but doesn't attack the other Omashu. Kari is still out there and Jiro is out in the open. And where was Kyuzo?

"Really now? Well, despite the holes in that lovely work of fiction, my question is: if that were true why didn't she just wait a few years and take the seat from Kenzo when he died since he was naming her successor?" Jiro questioned plainly, back to a casual lean.

"What?!" Hari replies in shock while Mai balks in wide eyed silence.

"Oh yes, it's very true. Go ask your master. Go on, ask him. Kenzo was going to name Mai Mal after him and Sho couldn't accept that. So he killed his own Uncle in his lust for power." The older man says seriously and the young Omashu fall into shock.

"No…no that's not true." Hari says, his zeal faltering while Mai's mind reels.

_'No…no that isn't true. It's not. It can't be….Kenzo would have….'_

The chain tightens hard suddenly and Mai is pulled high on her knees by the force. "It doesn't matter! Sho is my Mal and I will obey his command no matter what!" Hari shouts in hot anger again. The end of the chain that holds a knife now in his hand and poise to pierce Mai through the chest.

The gurgle on the choke of blood and the heavy thud of a body as it falls to the ground pierces the night.

Mai blinks, surprised and startled that it's not her and she's again covered in blood that's not hers. _'What…happened?'_ She looks down at the bland, headless corpse on the ground as Hari's head rolls into the grass and then up at the tall blonde samurai staring down at her wide eyed face like she's possessed.

"Are you alright?"

* * *

_I don't think I like this chapter. I really don't. Opinions in comments on this one especially are very appreciated._

_Thanks to Writing Goddess, TheHeartlessPrincess, Zaryin, the hotpocket hunter, MoonDancer89, NinjaChipmunk, FoxandDogchan27, and Emerald Gaze as well as guests for their reviews last time!_

_More shock and awe next time!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_*Cyandie gas smells like Almonds_

_*Harakari is a ritual suicide practice in Japan. Hari and his twin sister Kari took on a modification of the name as a joke for themselves and warning for others since they always together on missions._


	24. Chapter 24

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

"That was a terrible lie!" Mai shouts in bright, hot fury as she stands from the ground. Her anger clouds her judgment and she doesn't seem to realize that she has again been sprayed with the blood of a former comrade nor the samurai next to her as she approaches the blind master who has scuffled down from his roof in a manner most unbecoming. "Why would you say that?!"

Jiro, however, takes it in stride. But if it had been anyone else but Mai, their behavior would have rewarded them an arrow to the chest. But Mai was always his favorite and he understands her feelings. So he only replies with a simple, "It's not a lie. It's the truth." Before he takes a seat and looks up in her direction with pale unseeing eyes.

"No it's not!" Mai shouts, with a finger pointed in equal accusation of his apparent lies. Her eyes burn like amethyst in a furnace, and for once Jiro is lucky to not have his sight. Those eyes and that look was enough to kill a man.

"Yes it is. That's what Kenzo told me to tell you. Well that and…." The grayed man insists and rubs the back of his neck when he stops as if he's debating on continuing.

Mai flinches in surprise, and quickly solves the debate for him. "And? And what?!" She insists. And she can feel the dread settling into her as Jiro sighs heavily at the ground in a tired, worn down fashion.

"You're his child." He confesses sullenly. And the sharp, quiet gasp from the blonde in front of him and the fractional shift in aura from the blonde behind her tells him that he's been heard. "Saidai Aria and I hid it from him, but Kenzo figured it out. He told me you look like your mother." He continues and smiles slightly up at her in a sheepish sort of way.

A tense, heavy silence falls over the scene as Mai stands shell shocked in front of her former master. He mind reels and her body stands prone as if the weight of Jiro's secret has suddenly fallen on her from his shoulders. It isn't until a hand falls lightly on her arm that she seems to wake up. And she's off like a rabbit with its tail caught on fire into the tree line.

"Let her go!" Jiro shouts and Kyuzo isn't sure how he knew he had moved just a fraction to go after her, but halts just the same. "She needs some time and she won't go far. She'll be just up the hill a piece. There's a small pond up there she liked to go and meditate while she was here. We should find Kari before she-"She's dead." Kyuzo interrupts Jiro's explanation.

The older man sighs heavily as he scratches behind his ear while muttering. "I'm gettin' too old for this."

* * *

The heavy pat of canvas boots on a dirt path sounds incredibly loud in the silence of the forest.

But Kyuzo had waited a few hours on the porch with Jiro before he goes looking for Mai. He would wait no longer to find her.

The old man said that the cyanide mist the twins had set hadn't cleared out yet, so instead he drank sake alone in the company of the samurai who refused to partake with him. Jiro had scolded him in an old man fashion for his refusal, but Kyuzo didn't drink. He didn't plan on starting now.

After a time Jiro announced that his sake was gone and that now that he was sufficiently drunk he was going to go to bed. Kyuzo took that as a sign from the old man that enough time had passed and he could now go seek Mai.

As instructed, the samurai followed the small dirt path from behind the home up a hill into the surrounding forest around the dwelling.

It was darker, inside the trees, but there was a light at the end of the proverbial tunnel for Kyuzo to follow until finally he reached what he was searching for.

And the sight is enough to make the red samurai stop in awe once he's reached it.

The pond is encased in the thick vine curtains of willow trees. Cascades of moonlight glide down into the clear blue water that make it shine like liquid silver. A symphony of small frogs, cicadas, and other quiet night life plays in the distance. It's perfect in its serenity. So much so that Kyuzo almost doesn't feel worthy to crest the tree line. This place feels holy and Kyuzo is far from a man of God. He is a man of swords. And he doubts that even this pond, if it did possess the magical abilities its ethereal look led on to, could wash the blood and sin from his hands.

But his moment of doubt and self-introspection is quickly diminished as, along with not being a man of God, he is also not a man to be completely taken away by a pond in the middle of the night and ponder on his life choices.

Unfortunately, it seems, Mai in this particular moment does not feel the same.

The samurai approaches her cautiously, making just enough noise to let her know of his presence but still silent enough to respect this sacred place. He may be cold at times, but he isn't callous enough to trample on the holy places of others.

She was sitting on the ground nestled between the thick roots of a willow, twisting something over and over again in her hands as she stared at the still water. Kyuzo thought she looked something like a child. Small and frail on the ground like that as he towered over her at full height.

Mai finally looks up and gives him a sad smile before she flashes her kanzashi at him that she's been fidgeting with in her hands. "Kenzo gave me this, for my first yuwaku* mission." She says before looking back at the blade in longing. "At 16 I had finally blossomed and my job was to infiltrate some estate party to ensnare and assassinate some merchant head of class. And while I was getting ready, putting on make-up like some geisha beauty, Kenzo came in and slid it into my hair. And he said 'They'll never expect such a beautiful flower to have such thrones. You'll be the prettiest girl at the dance. We'll have tea when you get back. Jasmine.' And I felt…so happy. Not because he told me I was pretty but because he was so confident that I'd do well that I hadn't even left yet and he already had plans made for when I got back." A bitter, sad chuckle leaves the ninja's lips before her face falls again. "Why didn't he tell me, Kyuzo? Why?!" The small blade cuts into Mai's fist as she suddenly grips it angrily. "Was he ashamed of me? Was I good but not good enough to be called his?"

"You're one of the greatest warriors I've ever seen." Kyuzo tells her in true honesty. But the compliment is brushed aside ruefully by another bitter laugh.

"Yeah, right, I'm fantastic. I had one job to do: keep my Mal safe and I couldn't do it. Kenzo's gone, Sho's running the Omashu into the ground, and I'm a wanted criminal to both them and the capital. I should just kill myself now and at least _attempt_ to leave this world with some sort of honor."

"Don't joke about that." The samurai scolds and Mai looks up at him with serious bland eyes.

"I'm not. I'm completely serious. What's left for me to do?"

"Defeating the capital, getting rid of the Nobuseri, killing Sho," Kyuzo tells her plainly. "He's tried to kill you twice. The least we can do is return the favor."

Mai grins a little and, for once, chuckle in light hearted mirth. "You're funny when you're not being so serious."

"But I am serious."

The blonde ninja's head falls back and she laughs loudly. It's the first time Kyuzo has ever heard her really laugh. It sounds like chimes. He likes it. "I suddenly get why Gorobei thought that was so funny." Mai tells him, brushing a finger across the corner of her eye to wipe away a tear that had collected there. And goes along with her in pretending it hadn't been there before. Finally, she looks up at him with her own normal serious face, but now lightened into something not so heartbreakingly grim. "You don't have to stay with me. You can go back if you like."

"Are you staying out here?" He asks and she shrugs her bare shoulders as if she doesn't really know the answer.

The blondes stare at each other passively from their meager distance before Kyuzo moves. In quick stride and effortless lithe he is settled into the crook of the tree next to hers. The roots hugging him at the waist like a comforting friend.

"You really don't have to stay." Mai mentions after a while, but Kyuzo offers no reply.

He's well aware that he doesn't have to. Kyuzo has never done anything of his own free will that he hasn't have to. But he wants to. And the samurai nods off in the quiet space of this peaceful pond against this comforting tree before he can think on that further.

* * *

_So yes, I am aware that I am a terrible author in making you all wait this long and then giving you _**_this. _**_But I promise this will be the shortest chapter in the series, and it seemed odd with the next chapter so this is what we're left with.__  
_

_Thanks to Zaryin, Emerald Gaze, Dalonega Noquisi, NinjaChipmunk, Rin Shizuko, TheHeartlessPrincess, Rene, OdagiriRyu, MoonDancer89, Infinity wolf, and FoxandDogchan27 as well as guests for their reviews last time!_

_More shock and awe next time!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_*yuwaku translates to seduction. So basically a seduce and destroy mission. _


	25. Chapter 25

_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._

* * *

It's the warmth of the sun and the smell of clean, fresh air that wakes Kyuzo more than anything else. He inhales the smell deep, savoring it almost; before his body agrees with the thought in his mind that it's time to get up.

The blonde samurai cracks open tired eyes to look through blurry gaze up at the trees that toward over him. He isn't sure when he had fallen asleep, but he was more surprised he had slept until now. Judging by the sun it was already late morning. He was usually up at dawn.

Now awake the samurai seems to realize that his right side being uncomfortably heavy. Which he finds odd because he doesn't think he had fallen asleep like that. He feels like he would remember that.

His red eyes dart down to his side with a frown before widening in surprise at the discovery that his side is so heavy because Mai is laying on it.

Well, not on it per say. Her head is on his shoulder, but the rest of her is more pressed against him than on him.

The red samurai tilts his head as he looks down at her. Confused and concerned as well as intrigued in what she is doing or how she ended up her. Was it by design or by accident? He couldn't be sure.

A sharp poke into his ribs through his coat with a stick brings Kyuzo back to reality and he snarls angrily as he whips around, jarring his partner in the process so that she now too is awake.

"Not to break up this probably _adorable_ scene, but do either of you know Shimada Kambei?" Jiro asks, leaning heavily on the offending stick, and holding out a scroll to the blonde's on the ground.

At the mention of Kambei's name Kyuzo's face flashes with surprise, his ire forgotten, and he takes the scroll to unrolls it to read what it says. But there are no words on the page. Just black perforated dots stare back at him instead of kanji. The samurai glares up at the older man. He just knows Jiro did that on purpose.

Mai doesn't seem to pay attention to Kyuzo's annoyance as she takes the scroll from his hands quickly. "The execution is scheduled for noon tomorrow in Kogakyo. Apparently he tried to assassinate the emperor, in broad day light in front of the envoy council." She says as her nimble finger tips read the words in braille.

"Not a very good assassin if you ask me."

"He's a good samurai, they rarely are." Mai responds, closing the scroll upon finding that it had no more relevant information for them. "If we leave now we can make it to Kogakyo by tomorrow." She tells Kyuzo.

"If he's slated for an imperial execution, there's not much you can do." Jiro cautions.

But the decision has already been made.

* * *

They didn't come with much, so packing takes little to no time to orchestrate.

With his things in their bag and doing a mental once over of the room set for them but not slept in, Kyuzo heads down the hall to let her know he's ready.

"Samurai-kun said that you'll be heading to the capital soon. Have you thought about what you'll do after that?" Kyuzo pauses, his hand out stretched toward the handle, before he shrinks away from the door to its side. Feel that he would interrupt something if he opened it, but far too interested in whatever it was to not eavesdrop.

"Come now old man, you and I both know there's no after after this." Mai replies to Jiro in a dull, but amused tone. "If everything goes according to plan I'll be charged with killing two Grand Mals. If by some miracle they don't shoot me on site, I'll be executed not long after. And if you thought escaping an imperial execution was impossible…"

"Well, I prefer to be a forever optimist. Glass half full kind of man." Kyuzo can't see it, but he's sure Mai arches a brow at the man as if to argue with that statement. "But if all the stars should a line, and you do survive this suicide attempt, this might help." Jiro adds and there is a rustle of fabric followed by a sharp breath from the kunoichi. "It's Kenzo's last will and testament. He brought it to me a few weeks before his death. Said an old fortune teller in a tea shop told him the end was near. I told him not to believe in such silly superstitions, but Kenzo did always love to prove me wrong." The elder man supplies evenly with a small chuckle at the end for his deceased friend. "In there should be everything: You're recommendation for succession, you're legacy, his apprehension of Sho, all of it. With an unbroken seal the council will have to take it as authentic."

"What was she like?" Mai asks suddenly, and Kyuzo is certain that his face is probably just as surprised as Jiro's on the other side of the wall.

"Kaede, her name was Kaede." Jiro tells her. "She was lovely, really. She was the perfect demure daughter of a shogun, who kept her head high even after the samurai's fall. She played the flute rather nicely if I recall. Kenzo used to sap on and on about her, about how her hair was like the sun and her eyes like violets and her smile the light of the world. I cuffed him over the head more than once for it. God help me but I can't stand a man in love."

"What happened to them?" She asks curiously.

"Kenzo was slated for Mal." Jiro answered with a slight shrug in his voice. "His duty was first and foremost to the Omashu. And relationships with outsiders are already frowned upon. But had he known…well, who knows what he would have done if he had known." The old man says as if confounded by the thought. Then he pauses before he speaks again. "You know, if you and Samurai-kun both survive, you'll have to-"Thanks for letting us stay here Jiro-sama." Mai interrupts and there is another pause before Jiro scoffs amusedly.

"Yeah, come back anytime. I'm an old man now and could use a good work horse around the place again." He says before leaning lazily against his seat, once again as if he has not a care in the world.

"Then why don't you buy one like you do your women." Kyuzo can picture the smirk on her lips as she seems to ignore the older man's protests of how she's so 'stingy'.

The door opens and Mai stops abruptly as she sees Kyuzo standing there next to it on the other side. "Ready to go?" She asks, as though she hadn't been startled that he had been there and perhaps had been listening.

Kyuzo does not correct this and with a sharp nod the two head out for Kogakyo.

* * *

The pair reach the city just as the imperial airship looms over Kogakyo with its hulking mass.

The airships of the war had been designed not just to be weapons of war but also a psychological tactic against the enemy. The goal was for it to strike fear when you saw it. And it did just that.

Now, however, it was not the symbol of crushing power it once was. Instead it crushed the people under the influence of trade, not guns and metal. The people just didn't realize it yet.

Once amongst the masses of spectators with apparently nothing better to do than watch a man die, Kyuzo and Mai wait for the ceremonial execution to begin. Mai takes the added precaution of wrapping a stolen scarf around her face and hair. Kyuzo doesn't seem to care. And he's the one who actually _should_ be taking precautions. After all, he was the former bodyguard of the city's magistrate who deserted his post to join the enemy.

But, judging by the chatter he's picked up, Ayamoro was not the magistrate anymore. Ukyo was. And _that_ was enough to make him shutter.

You wouldn't know it to look at him, but Kyuzo knew he had a cruel streak. He had been the type of child that pulled wings off butterflies for fun. And unfortunately that wasn't something a person could grow out of.

Suddenly, the ornate doors of the air ship are opened, and a white speck of a man being lead out by guards exits.

"Kambei," Kyuzo says in a hushed tone, as if he hadn't believed it until he saw it with his own eyes. A hand suddenly clasps his own, limp at his side, and the samurai is snapped out of his revere to look down into the violet eyes staring up at him. She seems to be conveying to him _'don't do anything rash'_. After all, it wasn't as if they could leap on to the platform Kambei was now forced to kneel to and save him.

At this point it seemed that they too had come all this way just to watch the man die.

Drum sound from the priestess on the screen. A hush fall over the crowd at the sound as the guards step back.

Then a new group descends the long row of stairs from the air ship. "Hello, good to see you all." He greets and the crowd mummers softly.

"Is that…Ukyo?"

"He's the new emperor?"

"That's it. It's the end of the world."

And Kyuzo couldn't have agreed more. He wasn't sure what _impressive_ feat the man had done to go from farmer, to nobleman's son, to magistrate, to _emperor_ in the few short years of his life but the man had to be luckier than the foot from a rabbit that ate nothing but four leaf clovers all day. He also shuttered at the thought of a selfish tyrannical brat like Ukyo running the nation. Thankfully, if he had his way and they went to the capital, it would be a reign short lived.

To his left is Tessai. He knows the man well. To his right is some cleric of the former emperor now pledged to Ukyo's service, prattling on about Kambei's accused and 'proven' crimes. Behind him he is flanked by two people he does not know.

They are dressed in black and almost uniform in their attire.

One is a woman with dark teal hair, high in a ponytail with a sharp bang by the side of her serious face.

The other is a man with black hair, tall and cocky enough in his demeanor that Kyuzo can see it from there.

He's never seen them before and wonders briefly who they are. Imperial bodyguards do not give off such killing energies, nor do they carry their weapons so obscurely.

The hand that had clasped his in order to stop him from doing anything rash suddenly tightens on his painfully and Kyuzo glances back down to see what's the matter. But judging by the zeroed in look of outright hatred and anger in her eyes as Mai stares up at the platform, Kyuzo can deduce who it is.

_'Sho…'_ He thinks with a glare and his hand unconsciously tightens around hers in reprise, but to hold who in place he isn't sure.

The drums begin again and the executioner raises his blade to cut off Kambei's head.

But he misses.

By God somehow, some way, Kambei is able to disloged the execution block and miss the swing.

"Son of a bitch…" Mai mutters in awe, and Kyuzo has to agree.

_'Well played old man'_

There is a brief skirmish on the platform before Kambei approaches on Ukyo. But, unexpectantly, the pale man beats him to it.

"…these feats of samurai skill is quite inspiring." Ukyo says into the megaphone, so the people can hear the good part. "But hear me now, everyone here, the time has come to lay down our arms and put aside our differences. The war is over! And your days of suffering are at an end. But as your new emperor, I swear to you, we shall shatter the cycle of violence and I will protect the lives of all my people! Beloved subjects!" He bellows dramatically. But apparently isn't finished hearing himself talk yet, "It is true, this man tried to kill the former emperor. But his intention was only to _free_ the women taken by my predecessor! My friends, I understand his actions. Therefore, I have decided to grant Kambei Shimda a full pardon! As for the women, I declare them all free! Tessai, see to the release of the women personally."

"Well isn't that _thoughtful_ of him." Mai says when Ukyo is finally finished with his speech and prepares to return to his ship. Kyuzo has to agree. The younger man was not one to do things that didn't benefit him. Aside from the obvious tactic of pleasing the people, something was off.

Mai continues to glare at the air ship as the new emperor and his attends in black return into the fortress. "Another day," Kyuzo mutters like a promise and they disburse with the rest of the crowd into the streets.

They stick to the shadows of alleys and small crowds to go unsuspected as they watch the ship for hints of foul play. But finally, the metal behemoth steams and groans as it takes off into the skyline again into the desert.

"We should get going. Despite the new emperor's…_generosity_ the others can't stay in the city for too long. We should start heading for Respite to meet the others." Mai says finally after hours of stretched silence between them, removing her stolen scarf once they are alone. Kyuzo nods in agreement.

They weave through the darkened streets, lit in this area only by the full moons light, until the samurai stops abruptly.

"What?" Mai asks curiously, having sensed no danger of predators seeking them in the dark. But apparently Kyuzo has found some and is off without her.

The blonde samurai darts this way and that through sideways and back ways until he slinks into the dark of an enclave in another to watch the scene down the way.

A porkish man he knows to be Ayamoro, in a far fall from the former state Kyuzo had left him in, snivels on the ground surrounded by men known as killers.

"W-what, what do you want from me?! Did..Ukyo order this?!" The old man quakes in fear as the men approach. They offer no answer, but one raises his sword to cut the man down as he squeals like a pig in fear. It is then that Kyuzo leaps into action. "K-Kyuzo?!" Ayamoro stammers in surprise as his former body guard rises despite the weight of the man's sword and strike to cut him and his partner down.

Kyuzo then turns on the other. And with a switch strike, he slices through his small schyte before holding him at sword point.

"Kyuzo…it's me…!"

"You will not harm him, nor Shimada Kambei." Kyuzo warns seriously, uninterested in their former acquaintanceship. They are now enemies. That's all that mattered now.

"Why not? They deserve it." The man protests weaking, flinching slighlty as the sword is raised just a hair more before Kyuzo lowers it.

He then turns, and seems to have decided to spare the man's life. "Sorry you feel that way." He tells him. And a moment later, when the man has fallen to his knees from the ordeal, Kyuzo's blade slices through him, clean and precise, before he eventually does put his swords away.

"Was all that really necessary?" Kyuzo looks over his shoulder at Mai, who has suddenly appeared next to Ayamoro with her hand on her hip. He says nothing. And she sighs. "You samurai and your lords," She says as though it's an insult, but with no venom nor true disappointment in him. They are about to leave when the man on the ground shrieks terribly.

"Wait! Kyuzo, please, take me with you! Please, I cannot stay here in Kogakyo! I'll be slain!"

"You'll be slain anyway if you don't keep your voice down. The whole city can hear your whining." Mai scolds him sharply and Ayamoro shrinks back, though in fear of her or her accurate warning Kyuzo isn't sure. "It's up to you." She tells him and Kyuzo takes a long moment to debate the situation over in his head before answering.

"Try to keep up." Kyuzo mutters, putting his swords away and heading off into the night.

"Oh thank you Kyuzo! I-" Ayamoro's winded thanks is cut off suddenly when a hand slaps across his floundering gape.

"Also try to keep quiet."

* * *

_And we're back to the main story line! I'm so pleased!_

_Thanks to Zaryin, The Darkness Run-Away Emerald Gaze, Dalonega Noquisi, Infinity wolf, and FoxandDogchan27 as well as guests for their reviews last time!_

_Thanks for reading!_


	26. Chapter 26

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._**

**_A/N: Just a small note-I know Shichiroji doesn't come to the Firefly until the day after Kambei, Kyuzo, and the others but I changed it a little bit. I am aware, so no haters._**

* * *

Respite isn't far from Kyogukyo. For this, Mai is thankful. She and Kyuzo have traveled far in the short period of time they have been separated from the group and, though she is by no means a wispy-woman, if it had been more than the couple of hours it took to walk there she would have refused.

The three of them, three now that the porkish Ayamoro is shuffling along beside the warriors, meander through the crowded night streets of the town looking for the Firefly Inn.

Kyuzo seems to have the best handle on the task of navigating; walking a few paces a head of her and the former magistrate to lead them into some sort of destination. Mai has never been to Respite, though she has heard of it, and is of little help in knowing where they are going.

After a few moments of walking through the town the red samurai halts suddenly.

"What is it Kyuzo?" Ayamoro asks cautiously, as if ninjas in dark mask would pop out at any second.

The samurai says nothing. But his gaze does narrow a fraction in a particular direction on a thick mane of green before relaxing as he shifts his gaze to Mai who is suddenly by his side. "Let him go." She ushers and Kyuzo says nothing before he continues their trek.

It was not Kyuzo's place to go after him. He was not his commanding officer or his sensei. This thought leads him to think of Kambei. He deduces that if the young man is out this late, without the older man or at least the older man making an attempt to stop him, in an obvious mood judging by his aura and the stress in his shoulders, it has to do with the old man. Kyuzo scoffs mentally. He can all but see the fight now. Katsushiro says something in the heat of his emotions, passionate and naïve, while Kambei retorts with something reserved and in equal foolishness that _sounds _wise due to his age.

The man was fool enough to get himself imprisoned and almost _executed_. So he obviously wasn't as wise as people made him out to be, or at least that's what Kyuzo thought.

"This is it." The red samurai announces when they've reached the outskirts of the inn by the docks, having taken the long way around rather than the main entrance.

"It's look ostentatious." Mai quips with a hint of a sneer. She won't argue with free living arrangements, but ornate places like this did not appeal to her like they did others. Having been raised and trained in the Omashu she was taught to live by necessity, not excess. So luxury like the Firefly promised did nothing but grate her nerves than relax them.

"Ah, finally! I cannot wait to rest and having a hot meal and bath. The journey was positively arduous!" Ayamoro complains behind them and Mai slowly turns her head to look at the frail lily of a man who is apparently exhausted by the mile or twos worth of walking.

A broad shoulder wrapped in red canvas bums into hers as it passes and when she looks at the samurai he gives her a look that say _'don't'_. Mai purses her lips momentarily and feels tempted to still throw her clenched fist into the imps face out of spite, but she can't bring herself to. Deep down, she knows that the only reason this cow is here is because Kyuzo's samurai code wouldn't allow him to abandon his lord, former or otherwise, and she would respect that. For him, not for the cow.

So it is with great pride and force of will that she unclenches her fists and falls in line behind the samurai. But no soon does she do so he stops. His shoulders go ridged and his frame whipping back around just as quickly.

"Kyuzo wait-!" The kunoichi attempts to warn, but he won't listen.

The samurai is already off in a flash, sprinting towards the shore line of the river, swords unsheathing along the way.

Ayamoro squeals and dashes behind a tree. And if Mai hadn't already switched her mind into combat mood, she would have said something snarky about his _horrible_ choice in hiding place.

Kyuzo's blades cut through the lighter attachments on the dark mecha, rendering them useless, as the men circle around him.

"Kyuzo…" One, the leader, says in surprise as the blonde prepares for another strike. "Big mistake!" The leader shouts. But, truly, the mistake is theirs as the rest of the group crowd the samurai foolishly. Despite their leaders warning, the group clusters around Kyuzo and it takes little to no enough for him to cut them all down with a bright whirl of his swords. With his comrades gone the leader makes a pointless attempt to slash out at the samurai, shouting his name. He is made quick work of too.

"Aaaahahaha! Have no fear, Kikuchiyo is here. Hn?"

"Looks like we missed all the fun," Kambei drawls, assessing the damage of the enemy mecha piled around him, having reached the scene before the bellowing red machine could get there.

"Hey it's you two." Kikuchiyo says in surprise, having just realized Kyuzo and Mai are there.

"Thank you for your help." Kambei praises smoothly.

"These men were sent to kill you, so I killed them instead." The blonde samurai explains plainly. As if the scene wasn't explanation enough.

"Aww, thanks a lot you big softy! Yeah you act all dark and stuff, but deep down you really care!" Kikuchiyo cheers enthusiastically.

"Don't misunderstand." Kyuzo corrects to the surprise of the other samurai. "I'm just waiting for what was promised to me."

"Now why ya gotta be like that?!" The machine samurai moans in a hurt tone.

"Watch yourselves. These were Ukyo's men." The blonde samurai warns, clearly ignoring the former farmer's plight.

"A gift from the Emperor, how thoughtful." Mai comments passively, nudging one of the fallen heaps with her toe.

The small _'eep'_ emitted at the mention of the Emperor alerts the samurai that their comrades had not come alone.

"Hey piggy! If you wanted to hide from us you should have picked a bigger tree!"

* * *

The steam from the Firefly Inn's bath house hangs low like a soft fog that curls and wisps around the room and it's guest in a gentle caress.

"Mai-san, Yukino-san told me to bring these to you while her staff is attend to your regular clothes." The lithe blonde seated comfortably in the large wooden tub stops in the middle of her attempt to pull up her long, thick hair into something more manageable to finish washing when the water priestess comes in.

"Oh…I told her that wasn't necessary." Mai replies begrudgingly. Actually, she had told Yukino 'no'. She wasn't particularly fond of other people touching her clothes and things. She let Kirara out of necessity, but even then she didn't like it. But Yukino seemed to be less accepting of the word 'no' than Kirara.

However, she wouldn't complain or make a fuss over the other woman's generosity. She had opened her business and home to them and been more than accommodating when Mai had asked to use her baths. She had no interest in interrogating Ayamoro like she was sure the samurai were going to do. She found him insufferable and of little value tactically to take anything he said to heart. So instead, she choose to take this time to rid her body of the days travels before the pig or her samurai could use it.

"She said that you might enjoy a bit of womanly comfort after being around samurai men for so long." The brunette explains in her ever cheerful tone.

Mai mentally rolls her eyes, but can't seem to suppress the scoff that escapes her nose. Yes, a woman like Yukino _would _think that wouldn't she. "Speaking of samurai, why did Katsushiro leave?" Mai asks and hears a small gasp from the younger woman at the remark. "Kyuzo and I spotted him on the street."

"Why didn't you try to stop him?!" The younger girl's outburst causes Mai to jut up a brow in her mind, but remains placid on the outside.

"He looked like he needed space." She responds plainly and with her eyes prods for an answer to her original question.

Kirara's eyes down cast to her knees and her bottom lip almost quivers as she answers. "He…got into a fight with Kambei."

"Is that all?" Mai asks, with an arched brow, knowing there is more to the story than just that.

"Yes…! Why?!" Kirara abruptly responds, her cheeks gaining a fiery flush from more than just the steam in the room.

_"_No reason," The blonde replies outwardly with a shrug. It is not her place to comment on such matters.

"I should….probably return to Sanae and the others." The priestess says in a rush with a small bow before leaving the room.

Mai can't help but smile a little forlornly at the door when she leaves. "Poor kid, he never stood a chance." Mai says aloud while fishtailing her hand through the water in a bored manner. "Yukino and Shichiroji seem happy here though." She adds, pouring the water from the cup of her hand back into the water. "Have you ever thought about it? Hanging up your swords and living a normal life like Shichiroji?"

"No." Kyuzo replies without hesitation from the other side the wall by the second entrance, not even bothering to ponder how she knew he was there.

Mai smiles faintly, having anticipated the response. "Yeah, neither have I." The blonde kunoichi tilts her head back up to look at the stars through the grated holes in the roof. There were thousands in the clean night sky. They were so small and seemed so far away, like the dream of a normal life. And just like a star she would never have one.

"The story of Momotaro, hn? What do you think our story would be Kyuzo?" Mai asks ruefully, in a rare mood to be coy and playful with the samurai. "Do you think it would be the story of Kaguya-hime*? The story of a beautiful lost princess who forgets all her new friends and family when she is forced to return home." She mocks. But when no answer comes she sighs, looking back up at the sky and back to her normal placid self. "I never liked the Kaguya-hime story. Or Momotaro's for that matter."

But she's been thinking about it a lot though.

Not the story, but the symbolism the tale reflects in her life. Since Jiro planted the seed in her mind, the seed of hope and want of victory, she's been thinking about what will happen if they _did_ manage to survive this war and where their lives would take them.

Her duty would be to the Omashu. She would be expected to take the title of Grand Mal. And then she would return to the secret world of her people once more. She would be there leader. She would guide them. How funny it was that a few months ago that was all she ever wanted for her life.

"Kaguya only forgets after her hagoromo is put on." Kyuzo says suddenly, taking Mai a little by surprise. She hadn't expected him to say anything, let alone know the story of Kaguya-hime. Or how significant the statement was as she _could_ choose not to take the white robes of the Mals on her shoulders. But no one had ever been so foolish as to decline the honor.

She smiles slightly, stretch with pain. "So instead we would drink the elixir of life and live happily ever after?" The thought makes her chuckle a little and she turns in the water to fold her arms over tub edge then rests her chin in the crease of them. "I don't think we'll get a happy ending Kyuzo." She said plainly, face creased for the first time in a long time with regret.

Silence answers her and then the floor boards creak quietly under the samurai as he leaves.

Mai scoffs through her nose again. Though the sound is a little sadder and bitter this time.

* * *

"Come on! I know _cows_ that can chew cud faster than you eat. By the time you finish your breakfast it will be time for lunch! Look maybe if you stop now you would be so fat! Take a cue from the farmers."

"Fool, a meal has been offered to me. The dignified course of action is to savor each bite. And to continue eating once my hunger has been sated." The noble man says in an obnoxiously haughty way towards the farmer turned samurai while dabbing his large jowls with a napkins.

"That's it pig!" Kikuchiyo shouts as he snatches Ayamoro's tray away. "I'm taken your trough."

Kyuzo says nothing as his former lord is bullied by the red giant. He has no interest in it. Instead he just sits on the landing outside the room Ayamoro and the samurai crowd in once in a restful manner against his swords and an up bent knee as he listens to Ayamoro's speech on Ukyo and his plans.

None of this is news to him, so his attention wavers. He had been in Ayamoro's home for many years, learned the lessons he though his son vicariously as they were taught but hadn't taken them to heart. The corruption, the greed, the lies, those were just the cusp of some of the lessons the man had taught his son. And the boy was a quick study. He would not be taken down so easily.

"We still have work to do." Kyuzo says finally after his long silence when Kambei stands.

"So it seems," The graying man agrees sullenly in response. "You'll have to wait longer. I apologize."

Kyuzo huffs a small sigh as he turns back away. He's not surprised or angry by this. He had known for a long time that his fight with Kambei would be much further in the future. The fact that the man has the nerve or the courtesy to apologize about it both fascinates and irritates the red samurai.

"Whoooa hoo hoo! Lookin' good Mai-sama!"

The red samurai looks up at Kikuchiyo outburst, assuming the oaf is being well…an oaf, but is startled wide eyed at the sight that greets him.

The kunoichi looks nothing like herself. She's dressed in furisode kimono that is a deep purple like the color of her eyes. The long flowing sleeves and bottom are dotted with pale white flowers accented by the obi around her waist. Her long blonde hair is still damp but dry as it lays flat down her back past her shoulder blades while her bangs still hang beside her face unhampered, they somehow hide and bring out her eyes at the same time.

She looks positively stunning. And if she looked like the goddess Izanami when she fought, then now she looks like Benzaiten* personified.

"Your wife stole my clothes." Mai says in a flat tone, not seem surprised or embarrassed or really proud by the reaction she has gotten from the men. Honestly, she seems rather blasé about it.

"Bahahaha! Yep, she'll do that. That's how she kept me all these years." Shichiroji replies with a smile.

"I told her I didn't want anything, but she insisted. I almost told her something simple would do." The last bit of that was muttered. She really didn't want anything, but if Yukino was insistent she had at least wanted to make it clear that she didn't want anything over the top. But apparently she had been ignored twice.

"Well, that looks like one of Yukino's personal kimonos, so that's probably about as 'simple' as it gets." Shichiroji told her, still with his ear to ear grin before he then looks over his shoulder towards the doorway and hollers, "Hey, Kyuzo-dono, doesn't Mai-sama look pretty!"

At the mention of his name, Kyuzo snaps out of her spell and returns to being stoic and cold. The samurai says nothing. Instead he rises from his seat, putting his swords on his back, as he stalks off into the inn.

* * *

The night is calm and clear above the village of Respite. The neon light of the city glow in the distance, blotting out the natural light of the stars.

"So this is where you disappeared to. Is your room not comfortable enough for you?" The blonde samurai looks up as the other blonde samurai in their group comes closer.

"It's fine." Kyuzo replies flatly, not expressing his curiosity as to why he is here.

Honestly, Kyuzo is curious as to why _he_ is here, sitting up here on the roof in the middle of the night trying to sort though what happened when Mai came in looking like...that. He couldn't think. And his heart had been racing in his chest like it did when he was in the heat of battle. He didn't like it.

However, Shichiroji doesn't seem ready to give away his secrets as he smiles and sits next to him. "You seem a lot calmer recently. I'm glad you've found some solace Kyuzo-dono." Shichiroji comments after a moment. A new smile creeps across his face, softer and almost nostalgic in its way. "Loving a woman can do incredible things." Kyuzo's head snaps to the side to look wide eyed at the other man as if he's grown another head. "Don't worry; I'm pretty sure I'm the only one who knows. Well, Kambei-sama might, but he doesn't let on." Shichiroji tells him with a slight shrug and scratch of his nose. "It's nothing to be ashamed of Kyzuo-dono. And it's nothing you can really fight anyway. It sounds cliché but the heart wants what the heart wants. And apparently yours wants a life with Mai-sama."

Kyuzo scoffs a little under his breath. "Hn, life."

What kind of life did he have to offer a woman? One of fighting and death? When this was over, if they survived, how would he take care of or provide for her? He doubts, given his previous employment, he could return to being a body guard to a noble family, or anyone for that matter. He couldn't be a merchant. He couldn't be a farmer. Being a samurai was the only thing he was good at. And the world didn't need samurai anymore.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it Kyuzo-dono. These things, they have a way of working themselves out in the end. Hey! And if you want, after the war is over you and Mai-sama can have your wedding right here!" Shichiroji tells him good naturedly with a broad crescent eyed smile that washes away instantly when he sees the joke is not appreciated.

The iron armed samurai sighs, thinking his point hasn't reached the other man, and moves to leave.

"How did you know?"

Shichiroji stops just before sneaking back in to the inn through the window, turning around with a surprised expression on his face before he smiles softly again. "Because you look at her the same way I used to look at Yukino before I realized what my heart was telling me."

* * *

The inn is still and quiet now that everyone has gone to sleep in the wee hours of the morning. It is soothing and calm, and the almost inaudible creaks of the floor board under one samurai's feet as he treks with deaf feet through the hall of the inn and quietly slips into the room at the end of it.

"They gave us separate rooms for a reason."

Kyuzo looks up from the floor once the door is closed, looking at the kunoichi seated by the open window still dressed in the geisha's kimono with her hair down.

"Everyone's asleep." Kyuzo responds coolly. He doesn't want to mention that he couldn't sleep and didn't know why. He had lain awake for over an hour after scaling back down from the roof, staring at the ceiling beams hoping sleep would claim him but it never did. His skin and mind itched and he felt unbearably cold despite the thick down blankets Yukino had given him. Then, he wasn't sure why, but something inside him told him to go to Mai. The thought hadn't even accord to him until now that she may be asleep like everyone else, but he felt some sort of strange relief in the fact that she too couldn't find sleep as he.

"That's not the point." Mai doesn't seem pleased but chooses not to comment further. Kyuzo takes this as an invitation. If Mai didn't want him there, she would have made it clear. But the lack of protest seems as much of an affirmation as anything else and he journeys into the room further, taking a seat beside her at the window.

Mai doesn't look at him. She doesn't speak. Instead she continues to look out the window up at the sky, basking in the pale light of the moon in apparent deep thought. Something is bothering her. It's leaving heavy creases in her face as she concentrates up at the moon, her aura bleak and heavy as well. This might have gone on for hours, maybe longer, until she is suddenly startled when the window shoji suddenly snaps against its frame as it's quickly closed. "What?" Mai asks, concerned and a little miffed by the samurai's abrupt border line rude movement.

"Nothing," Kyuzo replies after a moment and leans in to seal his lips to the kunoichi solidly, taking care not to ruin the silk of Yukino's kimono lent to her when he grasps her shoulders.

He doesn't want to tell her that her looking at the moon causes him grief. That it makes him think of the story of the moon princess and how she flies away to her home to leave the Emperor to mourn her loss for the rest of his days. She would think him a fool. And she would probably laugh. And he just doesn't want to think about it right now.

* * *

_Sorry this took a little longer than normal. I went back and forth over some parts which took longer along with my life._

_Special thanks to Juliedoo, Kyuzo'sStalker15, MoonDancer89,Emerald Gaze, Dalonega Noquisi, Infinity wolf, and FoxandDogchan27 as well as guests for their reviews last time! Also thank yous to all those that faved and followed the story from last time!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_*__Kaguya Hime (or The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter) is an old folklore in Japan where a farmer cuts open a piece of bamboo and found a small baby the size of his thumb inside. He took her home and over time the girl grew into a normal, remarkably beautiful woman. He beauty was so famed that she caught the attention of the Emperor who wanted to marry her. But she refused because she was not of this world but of the moon. One day, the royal convey of the moon came to take Kaguya-hime home. She tearfully wrote letter to her adoptive parents, friends, and the Emperor, also entrusting him with an elixir of life that would grant him eternal life. Sad, Kaguya made her way to return to the moon but when her magical robes (her __hagoromo) is placed on her shoulder her memory of Earth and earthly feelings are washed away. When the Emperor reads Kaguya-hime's letter he can't bring himself to live forever without her. So instead he travel to Mount Fuji, because it was the closest point to heaven, and burns the letter and the elixir so that it becomes an eternal flame in hopes it would reach the princess. (A very rough summary of the tale, but it is an excellent story that you should read :] )_

_*Benzaiten is one of the Seven Luck Gods as is the goddess of knowledge, art and beauty, especially music._


	27. Chapter 27

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._**

* * *

The light from the early morning sun spills in through the paper shielded windows. Kyuzo's eyes watch as shadows shift back and forth across the white screens, most likely from the small cherry blossom trees outside. He knows he should be sleeping, time of relaxation where he can sleep as comfortably as this for as long as he wants will be a luxury soon deprived again, but he can't.

He sits up, the covers pooling from him to his lap, and his crimson eyes look down at the body next to him, curled up on her side. She's so beautiful, Mai. Lithe and tone, agile and cat like in her grace, sultry and sexy, skin almost as pale and unblemished as the moon she loves so much. Her skill in distant attacks affords her the prize of being able to avoid such hideous reminders of battle. Most warriors he knows are littered and covered with scars. His own body speaks true to that. And he suddenly feels that his body is inadequate in comparison.

Compared to his, her body only has a few. Two older ones on upper thighs and arm probably from her youth, a burn on the back of her neck near her hair from what looks a heated sword flat, the new ones cross her back and through her side, the cut on her cheek.

His vision burns as it zeros in on the mark on her sleeping face. He thinks it foolish to feel such anger over such a trivial cut that in a few years probably won't even be there anymore. It could have been her whole face. It could have been something truly serious. But looking at it now, the ever present visible reminder that someone had tried to kill her every time he looks at her face makes his blood boil.

The urge to kill rises in him. He wants to kill this Sho in the most painful of ways he knows how. And all he can think through it all is the only reason he can consider doing such travesties to Sho when he catches him is because of that cut on her face. Never mind he has tried to kill her several times, falsely named her a traitor, and killed her Mal and apparently father for the sake of stolen power that should have been hers. He hurt her. Her, _Mai_, and he would do anything to see that injustice corrected.

"You're thinking too loudly." The samurai snaps out of his thought to look down at the violet eyes staring up at him through half open slits. "What is it?"

"I'm going to kill Sho." Kyuzo announces after a beat, awakening Mai fully as well as getting her attention.

"Why?" She asks while rolling flat on her back.

"He hurt you." He answers immediately, truthfully.

The kunoichi arches a brow at him and asks, "And?" As if she expects something more.

However, all she gets is a flat, "He cannot live now."

She does not seem miffed by his lack of explanation, just merely sighs out a breath and tells him, "Agreed, but we seem to have reached an impasse. That honor will be mine."

"It won't happen again." Kyuzo tells her, and Mai huffs a little while sitting up on her elbow.

"I doubt it, since I plan on ending him very soon." She says, tucking the linens tightly around her in an attempt of modesty.

"No, it won't happen again." If he wasn't so serious right now he might make a remark on the futility of covering up something he's already seen. And touched. And tasted. But he's too caught up in trying to convey to her that he won't let her be hurt again that smart jabs are lost to him.

Mai stops fidgeting with the cloth to look up at him in wide eyed perplexion for a moment before her expression shifts into that coy smile he now knows comes before a sharp quip. "How sweet my samurai is. Next he will be waxing me poetry about how much he loves me."

"And if I do?"

"Wax me poetry? I fear I may die from laughter and follow Gorobei before our work is done."

Mai smirks at her joke, but Kyuzo does not seem entertained. Her brow furrows slightly, sensing that he's trying to tell her something without telling her, but is disrupted by a knock on her door before she can ask.

"Mai-sama, are you awake?" The water priestess's voice carries through the door just before she opens the sliding wood, not noticing the quick rush on silent feet. "Mai-sama have you seen Kyuzo-dono? He wasn't in his room and Shichroji said I should ask you."

Mai arches a brow, curious as to why _Shichroji_ had directed her here. "Up until a few minutes ago, I've been asleep." Mai replies calmly though and Kirara's face balks in surprise

"Oh! I'm sorry. I'll…tell the others you haven't seen him. Sorry to disturb you." The brunette apologies with a low bow before closing the door.

Once the wood taps against the frame, back in its proper place, the closet reopens and the samurai steps out, somehow in his pants.

"You seem rather skilled at that." Mai comments with a coy smirk and Kyuzo narrows his eyes at her, understanding her insinuation.

"Do you make a habit of lying to people of spirit?" The samurai asks while collecting his shirt.

"I didn't lie. She made an assumption on information I provided." Mai replies with a sharp look, not moving from the bed and her coverings.

Kyuzo humphs as he pulls the tight black fabric on. The difference wasn't noted to him. Telling a lie or leading others to purposely believe falsehoods was the same to him. But he wouldn't get into a debate with her about this. She wanted to keep this…_thing_ of theirs secret. He could respect that. Their business was no one elses but their own. Still…he was not pleased about it for some reason.

"Leaving so soon?" The samurai pauses in putting on his long coat, looking over his shoulder at her before continuing to put it back on. "I suppose its best. Neither of us can stay in bed all day."

"Not for lack of wanting."

Mai smirks wickedly at the samurai, now fully dressed and putting on his swords, "My, aren't we insatiable."

"Yet I never said anything about that." Kyuzo retorts quickly.

With his own smirk, and intent on for once having the last word, the samurai then slips out the window silently and quickly before skittering across the roof to another location far from her room and suspicions about his whereabouts.

Shichroji could have all the ideas he wanted. But he'd be damned if he would let the man think himself right.

* * *

The moment that everyone had been dreading since Sanae and the other women had been freed finally came late that afternoon when Heihachi and Rikichi arrived at the Firefly Inn.

Overjoyed to see his wife again it had almost been impossible to stop him before he dashed up to her. But Kambei and Kirara had. They sat him down and explained…everything to him; about her capture, the Emperor, her mental state, the baby….

It had hit Rikichi like a rock for a second before he steeled himself and again demanded to see his wife.

But she refused to see him. Her weak voiced protest of him coming near her and claims that she could not be his wife anymore because she was still the fallen Emperor's came through the door along with her tears, but Rikichi would have none of it.

He opened the door, handing her the damaged comb from her vanity in their home, his wedding present to her, and begged her to come home. He made promises of being understanding and loving, offering to mourn for a pray for the Emperor and the lost child with her if it would suit her, until finally he broke down along with her over how awful everything had become of their once happy marriage.

And all the while the group looks on.

Kyuzo stays near the back of the group, just outside the room they are all crowded in, listening in interest and regret for the man who had risked everything to have his wife and home safe to him again only for this to happen. The Gods could be so cruel.

His interest falters though when he hears the almost deaf sigh from one of them further away from the pack. When

"She doesn't deserve someone like Rikichi." Kyuzo looks next to him to Mai leaning against the wall opposite him at the entrance, her black attire for once apropos for the situation. Her glare steeled in her eyes as if it could penetrate the wall with her sidelong stare so the offenders may know her digusted. "I understand her plight, I do. I heard stories during the war and before of prisoners reassigning their feelings for their captures when they are shown kindness when they expect pain. But she sickens me. The emperor is dead and that…_child_ of hers is gone. She has a husband willing to sacrifice his own happiness for hers, take her home, and she spits in his face." Mai's apparent irritation seems to leave her when a heavy sigh passes through her teeth. She scoffs a little, as if some obscured joke had just entered her mind, before she gives the samurai a sideways glance. "Tell me Kyuzo, if I were to die, would you mourn for me like Sanae mourns her Amanushi?" The samurai remains statuesque, saying nothing and looking at her with a cool stare. Mai scoffs once again and turns. "No, I suppose you wouldn't." She says over her shoulder as she walks away.

The blonde ninja is more than a little surprised when, after she rounds the corner, her vision is suddenly filled with red and then shadowy light as she pulled suddenly into a darkened, empty room. "Ah! Kyuzo what-!" Mai begins, agitated by the sudden abduction and its purpose as when as how she's being pressed forcefully against a wall, but whatever she was going to say is effectively silenced by the samurai's mouth. "Kyuzo!" She hisses when she quickly snaps her head away from his kiss. This is inappropriate. Everyone is just around the corner, mourning over Rikichi's lost wife, and they are far too easily able to be discovered. But Kyuzo doesn't seem to care as his hands release her shoulders only to grasp the side of her head forcefully so she can't turn away from his kiss again.

Mai momentarily tries to struggle, but it's very short lived as she gives in to him and the sweeping passion that flows through her with his kiss. And she knows, feels, that he's trying to tell her with something more than words that 'yes, he would mourn for her.' Perhaps not as dramatically as Sanae or her farmer, but he would mourn her loss deep down in his soul until the day he left this world too.

"This is foolish." Mai pants against Kyuzo's lips when he finally sets her free. Or at least her lips are set free. The rest of her is still tightly held in his embrace against him.

"Do you want to stop?" The samurai pants back, his burning red eyes staring back at her with a heat she didn't know was possible.

"No." She whispers after a beat and seals them together again with great force.

She just thought that the absolute foolishness of this decision they've made together needed to be said out loud.

* * *

"Now everyone will just _give_ us all their rice, without just having to use force. It really is brilliant." Ukyo says in pride as he plays with one of the contraptions of the previous Emperor as the capital air ship floats away from the village they had graced with its presence. His plan of having the people fall in love with him, while still keeping them under his thumb was working perfectly.

"But if the peasants find out the Nobuseri have been sent by the capital" Tessai cautions the young ruler.

"I wasn't aware of it until dear old plucked me from the fields." Ukyo argues, while flopping heavily into his throne. "Ah! Those simple farmers are never going to figure it out." The young Emperor says with a sneer. "I wonder: when my predecessor cast me out into the farm lands, was it because he enjoyed watching me suffer?"

"I believe, milord, that he watched over all his clones as they 'learned the ways of the world'." His advisor corrects.

"That's one way of putting it." Ukyo rebuttals while scratching his cheek in boredom.

"Lord Amanushi, Grand Mal Sho wishes to have a word with you."

Ukyo looks over his shoulder and narrows his eyes at the screen around his throne, knowing that the teal haired ninja Haruka was on the other side. He huffs and turns up his nose. "Very well." He sighs, waving his hand to discourage any argument his advisor or Tessai may have.

The pale young man stalks off further into the ship and down several narrow hallways until he gets to the room the Omashu leader is housed. The new Emperor throws the doors open, not bothering to knock, and looking with a heated stare at the black haired man lounging on one of the couches.

"Ukyo! Thanks for coming." Sho greets with a charming smile and wave.

But Ukyo is not pleased by the greeting. The younger man seethes wide eyed for a moment at the older man before yelling, "Ukyo?! You should address your _Emperor_ with more respect!"

"And I would, if he were still alive." Sho replies with a knowing smirk, which causes Ukyo to flinch out of his rage, before taking a sip of fine wine from his goblet.

The pale man huffs and flips his teal hair dramatically before crossing his arms. "I won't be baited by your threats! You will show more respect or I'll-"Or you'll what?" The Grand Mal interrupts as he stands, a menacing aura surrounding him despite his cold smile. "Let me remind you, _Emperor_. That the arrangement of our partnership is based on you giving me what I want and in return _I_ keep your secret."

Ukyo quakes in his boots for a moment before he glares at Sho again and clicks his tongue against his teeth. "Humph! Yes, I haven't forgotten. But don't think that just because you currently have use, doesn't mean you can show me such disrespect."

The Mal of the Omashu scoffs good humoredly. "Understood. And let me remind you of this as well _Emperor_, the shortest reign an Emperor has ever severed was six weeks and four days. Let's not let your mark in the history books be the defeat of that record. Ok?"

Ukyo gulped quietly before he lifted his nose again and left the room. "I still don't see why Shimada Kambei had to live!"

"You don't have to." Sho replies, more to himself than anyone since the younger man has stormed off.

"I too am perplexed Sho-sama." Sho looks back over his shoulder at the teal haired woman behind him.

"You don't worry about it either Haruka. Let me handle that." He tells her, waving his hand, not feeling the need to explain his plan to bring the samurai to their door.

"Hari and Kari have not returned Sho-sama." Haruka says seriously and Sho sighs.

"So they were defeated. Wonderful." He responds, grimacing a little as he sips his wine again.

"What do you wish to do Sho-sama?"

The dark auraed man thinks for a moment, swirling the alcohol in his cup as he does, before answering. "Don't worry about it. Knowing her, Mai and her samurai friends will be here soon enough. Especially after we've tried to kill them twice over the past few days." Sho chuckles a little, as if it's some funny joke. He then looks down into his glass with a thoughtful expression. "Send a cleaning crew to Jiro's to collect Hari and Kari."

Haruka balk in astonished, almost fretful surprise. "Sho-sama, with all due respect, you can't be serious?"

Sho smiles wistfully over his shoulder at her before setting his cup down on the table again. "We'll blame Mai." He tells her. "They'll all know that she's alive when she gets here. We'll concoct some tale about her killing the old man out of revenge, or something plausible. No one will be the wiser." He adds while coming up behind the pale female and wrapping his arms around her waist. "It's a necessary evil to be achieved so we may continue our goal dear. The world will miss Jiro-sensei, but he has allied with our enemy. You understand don't you?"

"I understand…" The saidai agree after a moment, but Sho can hear the apprehension in her voice.

With a cool smirk he leans in close to her, lips brushing against her ear, "And when this is over, and Mai's head is on a spike, I'll make you my Dalma."

Haruka gasps and turns around quickly in Sho's arms. "Re-really? You mean it?!" She asks, hopefulness painted plain across her face and voice.

The wicked man smile charmingly as he places his hand under her chin to tilt it up to him. "Of course! Who better to rule by my side when we conquer the world?" He tells her in false sweetness.

But Haruka looks ready to burst with happiness and pride. "Oh Sho-sama!" She exclaims, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace that Sho allows while he pats her head.

"Go now. Take care of this now so we may start anew." He tells her gently and Haruka nods enthusiastically before she practically skips away.

But when the door closes once again Sho's true expression show; an expression stark with anger and hate as his frown cuts into his face.

"It should have been you you ungrateful bitch." Sho curses as he downs the rest of his wine in one final gulp before slaming the metal cup back down again. _'I would have given you the world, and you spit in my face. But come! Come with your stupid noble samurai and your stupid noble ideals! I'll cut you down and scatter your ashes to the four winds! If I can't have you no one will!'_ He thinks angrily before flipping the table in his blinding rage.

The dark haired man pants heatedly as he surveys the damage of his table and cups and parchments. _'Goddamnit Mai…'_

* * *

_Sho's all mad. Sho and his fussy face of hater. I don't like Sho, but I guess that's the point since he is the villain._

_Holidays! Your messing my writing schedule up! But I will have more free time now that Supernatural Serendipity is completed. Currently I have no long term story arcs in the workings, just drabble work mostly (for K and Tiger & Bunny if anyone is curious :3)_

_Special thanks to Amber, J2S, Kyuzo'sStalker15, MoonDancer89, Emerald Gaze, Dalonega Noquisi, Infinity wolf, and FoxandDogchan27 as well as guests for their reviews last time! Also thank yous to all those that faved and followed the story from last time!_

_Thanks for reading!_


	28. Chapter 28

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._**

**_A/N: I am soooo sorry for the delay! With the holidays, work, and studying to get my Life, Health, Property, and Casualty licenses I have had little time to write. But the good news is I passed and can get back to some hobbies like writing (and if anyone needs insurance advice let me know lol). But here is the newest chapter and I hope everyone likes it._**

**_Not much longer to go and NO I will not be giving any spoilers on the ending. You're all on your own!_**

**_Also: some people asked about Sho's obsession with Mai and no he is not aware that they are cousins. Carry on._  
**

* * *

The team stays for a few more days at the inn. Some in hope of getting as much comfortable rest as possible before the hellish battle with the capital begins. Others…hope that it will help Sanae come around. The latter doesn't seem likely to happen, but she seems to be coming to grips a bit more and more, which is the most anyone can hope for right now.

Mai however is becoming more and more anxious by the day.

In this waiting state she finds little peace. Her soul itches inside her for her vengeance and her fight with Sho, but she wills the feeling away. As she does with others.

Mai harshly brushes a cherry blossom petal that has been so careless as to land on her shoulder away, and wishes that these feelings she has for the blond samurai would be tossed away just as easily.

But they won't.

No matter how hard she tries to distance herself from him emotionally or even physically, she just can't seem to do it. Every day she makes a promise to herself that this day will be the one she pushes him away and tells him that this…_thing_ between them is over. But every night, when he sneaks in through the window or through her door with a silence that rivals her own and seeks solace in her arms, she just…_can't_.

She doesn't understand what is wrong with her. Now is not the time to think on such things of longing and love or anything else of such foolishness. The likelihood that they will die at the capital is all but set in stone, so why torment themselves with ideas of happy endings and eternity together outside of wandering soul in the afterworld. It is a long distant dream that would never come.

And yet Kyuzo is like a drug in her veins she just can't seem to flush out. And she knows, _feels_, when those hard red eyes stare at her that he feels the same. That he's trying, Gods is he trying, but he just can't seem to do it either. So they just give up to start another day.

"Mai-san, are you out here?" Mai could hear the rather ungraceful thumping of Kirara's feet long before her voice carried to her and her small brunette head pops out the open window. "Ah, Mai-san, Kambei asked if you would come down to the docks to help prepare for departure." She doesn't ask why Mai is out on the roof and the kunoichi has to wonder if she wants to ask and is to leery or if she's just accepted Mai's…quirks.

"Yes. I'll be right there." Mai replies evenly and, rather than come back in through the window, she scuffles down the roof on to another, and another, until she's down on the ground.

* * *

The sun is at its peak when Kyuzo finishes making his preparations to leave the Firefly Inn.

He is pleased they are leaving; these long stays in places outside of fights make him ache for one. But he has come to the realization, acceptance, quicker than most that death follows swiftly for those that walk the path they are on now.

Well…accept maybe….

"Oh Kyuzo! Isn't this marvelous, the two of us working together again?" The round merchant's grating voice breaks through the samurai's thoughts abruptly, and though the samurai says nothing, it's clear by his look that he could careless how he feels about the situation.

Ayamoro blinks in a mixture of fear and awkwardness. "Well then…if this is last we should meet, I just want you to know that…I was always pleased with your service Kyuzo. You were a man of few words, but you were reliable to me until the parting of our ways. I won't forget that." His words alarm Kyuzo, startle him really. There may have even been the hint of a bow at the end of it. The samurai had never thought that his former lord would be so…thoughtful? as to thank him for his service to him. Perhaps falling from his golden pedestal has humble the former magistrate some.

"Kambei, Kirara said you needed my assistance."

The samurai and former lord both look over their shoulders at the blonde who has just appeared. And that pull in his chest returns, fierce and true, as always whenever she's around. Her violet eyes fall on Kyuzo's brown for a moment, but only a moment before they shift past him towards their elder. Not long enough to linger, but long enough to let him know he had been seen.

"Yes, but preparations have all but been finalized. Retrieve your weapons and we will be all set to go on our journey."

"Already done," Mai replies, motioning casually to the weapons on her sides.

"Ah, Lady Mai you will be accompanying the samurai to the capital as well?" Ayamoro asks with a broad, creepy smile he has in an effort to be chivalrous and charming.

"You didn't honestly think that all of these weapons were for show did you?" Mai asks in a snide, belittle manner, her distain for the merchant more apparent now that he has become bolder in speaking to her candidly; something she _did not_ give him permission to do.

The merchant's feelings are obliviously hurt but she pays him no mind. She walks past them both towards the dock and for a moment, a second really, her eyes stray back to Kyuzo briefly. Again not long enough to linger, but long enough to know he had been seen.

As the moment fades, the rest of the accompaniment gathers on the docks to see them off.

"I think Rikichi is feeling better now!" Kirara informs them cheerfully and the farmer in question falls to his knees.

"Great samurai, I have a request. I beg you…make the capital pay for what they've done…"

"No need to ask. It's already been decided." The veteran samurai replies, stooping to one knee by the man.

"Yeah just leave it to us!" The red cyborg adds boastfully.

"The capital is already on its way to Kanna village." The samurai continues, to the surprise of the villagers.

"That rat Ukyo! We're gonna knock him back to the fields where he belongs!" Kikuchiyo cries, to which Komachi cheers, but the enthusiasm in their victory is appreciated.

"Time to go." Kambei announce after a long look at their companions come to see them off.

"Whatever you say," Shichiroji agrees, but pauses at the sound of 'luck' charms tapping together.

"Good luck now." Yukino tells him warmly.

"Aww come on! I just got back and that's the most _passionate _sendoff you can give me?" The samurai reprimands playfully.

"Well, maybe if Momotaro had brought back some treasure…"

"Ouch! That hurts."

"Oooo look at the love birds goin' at it!" Kikuchiyo mocks, accompanied with Komachi's cat calling whistles and everyone else's laughter.

Goodbyes and good wishes are said. And as the geisha passes the young priestess she whispers to her, "Be true to your heart Kirara." Causing the young girl to jump slightly as she passes.

Mai closes her eyes with a soft scoff. The young, naïve priestess and the old, worn samurai? Clichés about hearts and wanting aside, it was to laugh. "And you as well, Mai." The ninja's eyes flash open at the lovely geisha's words to her as well as she passes. Her cool, grey eyes look over her shoulder at her before they look past her cryptically.

Mai's brow furrows and she turns around, eyes landing on the red samurai on the boat behind her. When she turns back, the geisha is smiling softly at her; giving her a parting glance before she kisses her own samurai farewell and the team departs for their last leg of their journey.

* * *

"So…the old man wasn't there."

Sho tosses his apple core off the bridge into the desert, seeming bored with Haruka's report already and uninterested in his litter.

"No Sho-sama. He must have fled after the traitor left." Haruka report methodically now that her team has return from Jiro's home empty handed.

"Heh! Good plan." A twenty something vasta* named Coal, a name given to him after he lost his own because of his dark skin and black soul. "No way the old man could have taken on six of us. Damn coward probably ran for the hills the second he-" The man is cut off by his own scream when the edge of Sho's blade takes off half his ear.

"I will say this once, so listen clearly with what bits of ear you have left." The older man warns, staring him down the length of his sword with cold brown eyes. "Jiro Kuroshika is a great man, worth more to the Omashu dead than six of you alive. He is a man that _deserves_ respect. And he will have it in my presence. Do I make myself clear?"

Coal nods fretfully at his Mal's words and barely relaxes a fraction when Sho's sword is lowered and he smiles instead of glares at him. "Good," Sho says as he resheaths his sword. "Now clean up this mess you've made."

The Grand Mal turns swiftly, his robes kicking up as he passes, and leaves with his kage in toe.

"On the subject of problems, Grand Mal-sama, you are aware of with our _esteemed_ Emperor has done this morning."

"Oh I am aware." Sho replies to Haruka questioning, seeming much more amused than her on the topic. "It's a little hard to miss when that canon is fired."

"So you are aware on what he's planning to _do_ with the Nobuseri then?" The teal haired woman prods and received another quaint smile.

"Of course. Who do you think gave the cleric the idea?"

Haruka's blank expression, for once, falters with surprise. "_You_ suggested it sir?"

"You didn't _really_ think that old fool could have thought to suggest such a plan did you?" Sho asks good naturedly, to Haruka ebbing calm.

"But sir…stripping the Nobuseri of their souls and turning them into just machines is just…"

"Barbaric?" The black haired man offers as he opens the sliding door to his chambers and ushers Haruka in. "Yes, I suppose. But with them just being robots they won't be a threat to us anymore. We can swoop in and take the place left by their loss in the capital. The capital doesn't really need _two_ war lords." He explains while removing his outer robes.

"War lords sir?"

Sho, hearing the apprehension in Haruka's voice, pauses in his undressing and takes a breath before he turns around and gives her his best comforting-sweet-smile-of-love act. "I didn't mean it like that. You know the Omashu is sacred to me." He cups her face in both his hands and looks down into her eyes, so full of admiration and doubt that he can't decide to pity her or…well, pity her. "But this is how things must be for us to start a new. Too much blood and lose has been offered for us to stop now. I need to know that you are with me, Haruka. I can't do this without you."

"I'm with you Sho-sama." Haruka replies in a longing sort of way.

And Sho smiles, "Good." He tells her, before removing his hands from her face and pulling her close. "Now, I think we could both use a little _stress_ reliever after such a long day."

And Sho really does pity his girl after how easy it is to talk her out of her clothes and into his bed. The promise of love was such an easy sell to some people.

* * *

Back with the samurai, the team takes the rest of the day after reuniting Honoka with her sister to stay in the caverns of the Shikimorbito, but are off again by days light.

The former samurai turned hermits are good to them though. They give them enough weapons and supplies to continue successfully with their journey. A small token for their hope that their own oppressors are destroyed.

Mai looks out the hover craft into the deserted wasteland, the sand vast and swallowing. She wonders, in a brief thought, if she should become a hermit like the Shikimoribito or Jiro should she live beyond the capital. She wonders with the others would do…what Kyuzo would do…if he would follow her….

The thought is quickly squashed out of her mind though as the hover craft makes an abrupt jerk as it lands and Kikuchiyo's demand to stop.

"What's wrong Kiku?" Komachi asks at the red cyborg curiously.

"Delicious durians*!" He cheers as he points to a large cluster of green, horned…things and charges towards them to munch on them happily.

"Durians are smelly." Komachi announces through her pinched nose. And for once Mai has to agree with the small child.

They reek. And they make the bile in her stomach rise to her throat at the stench of them.

Everyone but Kikuchiyo seems to agree. Even Mai, in a demure sort of way, pulls her mask up over her nose in an attempt to block out the god awful smell. And the woman has lived through the smell of burning flesh and sun baked guts, just to give you an idea of what they're dealing with

She notices out of the corner of her eye though that something else has caught Kyuzo's attention though. "That smell…" He mutters quietly and is off.

"Yeah you get used to that…hey where are you goin'! You wussies won't even try one!"

The samurai pays the cyborg no heed and head off over the sand dunes behind the red samurai.

And beyond the sand and retched fruit is the remains of a Nobuseri grave yard.

"Wait…is that?" Shichiroji asks curiously at the sight of the wreckage, all mangled and scattered in the sand.

"What do you think? Remnants of a battle between samurai and Nobuseri?" Shichiroji asks the elder samurai, but Kambei shakes his head.

"These aren't sword cuts." The replies matter-a-factly.

Mai is inclined to agree. If these were from a fight, the metal body would have cleaner cuts and smoother lines in its dismemberment. This just looks like…pieces.

The samurai at her side seems to be investigating a larger piece of wreckage, smelling for something on his hand from the metal. He says nothing, but the furrow in his brow suggests that he's found…something. But isn't sure quite what he's found.

"Whoa! Your right! I think a canon did this." Heihachi suddenly agreed upon seeing the marks and burns on the former bandits haul.

Mai looks down at the samurai who looks up at her with a serious stare. A look on his face tells that he's just realized what he's discovered. And she does too.

They know, more than the others, that his is a much bigger issue than they all can see.

If Ukyo is willing to fire the main canon on his…'allies', what will he do to them?

* * *

_So I really hope this was worth the wait. I don't know if I'm too 'thrilled' with this chapter so I would like as much commentary as possible (and may be making some adjustments to it in the future)._

_Special thanks to Amber, Batman004, Kyuzo'sStalker15, MoonDancer89, NinjaChipmunk,Kairi-Ichimaru15, Dalonega Noquisi, Infinity wolf, RavenInTheVoid,animls4evr and FoxandDogchan27 as well as guests for their reviews last time! Also thank yous to all those that faved and followed the story from last time!_

_Thanks for reading!_

_*Vasta is a title I made up. In the Omashu it would be a step below saidai; still high ranking but not as high ranking._

_*Durian fruit is a produce grown in Southeast Asia. Though it is never specifically stated in the show, this is most likely the fruits found in the desert based on their look and description._


	29. Chapter 29

**_Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7, or its character. I do own the people not in the show however._**

**_A/N: ...I'm just gonna post the chapter and not bore you with my excuses on why this took forever to post. Please enjoy.  
_**

* * *

There's something rather dramatic about riding into battle at the break of dawn.

Kyuzo has never been a fan of it. He prefers night attacks since they give more cover and the element of surprise.

However it is not his call to make and he will do as Kambei and Shichiroji have planned like a good solider.

Their plan is for them to die anyway.

* * *

_"Have you ever been to the capital before?"_

_"Once with my former lord." Kyuzo replies, his back towards the other samurai. Kambei doesn't seem to take offense but rather understands his need to distance himself from them._

_"Are the defenses still the same?"_

_"Basically."_

_"And Inner defenses?"_

_"The capital has numerous private guards, obviously. Several hoards of them. Then of course there are the Nobuseri. It would be political suicide to be allied with them so publicly, but Ukyo may be getting desperate at this point. We have become quite a threat to him over the past few months." Mai replies, knowing he's speaking to her without being formally addressed._

_ "And the Omashu?"_

_"They won't attack until we're in the capital. They wouldn't abandon a perfectly good fortress to fight us on the ground."_

_"How many do you think will be there?" Kambei asks._

_"It's hard to say." Mai says with a shrug. "An attack on the capital would be a reason to alert the whole order. But over staffing could be perceived as weakness, which Sho wouldn't want so early. Then there is also his underlying fear that I will expose him for the murderous coward he is."_

_"Ouch, harsh" Shichiroji mutters sarcastically. "So it's our move Kambei-sama. I assume you have a plan."_

_"No."_

_A tense silence falls over the group, as if now that Kambei has said it out loud it's all the more clear to everyone that their not walking away from this fight._

_Deliberations go on for a little bit longer before the relic samurai tells everyone to get some sleep and as always the group obey._

_The red samurai catches the ninja's retreat into the sands out of the corner of his eye. He wonders where she is going off to alone, but he waits until everyone is distracted till he follows. He has to keep up this…act of indifference between them. It's what she wants after all._

_She is easy to find, even in the dark. He has a feeling that he could even find her if he was blind._

_Sitting amongst the wreckage of the Nobuseri Capitan she looks up at the sky. He wonders if she is sad that there isn't a full moon, that she can't see it one more time before they go off to war._

_"You're angry." He says as a way of 'greeting'._

_"I'm not angry." She replies evenly, not seeming upset that she's been followed again; but perhaps a little irritated._

_"You're upset."_

_"I'm not upset."_

_Kyuzo's approach halts instantly. Yes, definitely upset._

_"You're distracted."_

_Mai's head flips back over her shoulder at the samurai, a glare marring her pretty features. "You seem to be spending a considerable amount of effort that could be used for other things on deciding what I am and am not." The blonde snaps in irritation. But Kyuzo isn't swayed._

_"What's wrong?"_

_"Nothing is wrong." Mai insists. But, after a moment of his persistent staring, she sighs. "I don't want to die." Kyuzo brows furrows and she sighs again before rubbing his eyes. "I've never not wanted to die before. I mean, I don't want to die but I've always been accepting of it. My death would be for the better good and uncoincidental. But…when I think about tomorrow, behind my wanting to kill Sho and avenge this heinous wrong in the world, I realize that I don't want to die. It's a strange feeling." _

_The ninja stares off into the sands blankly as she speaks, void and disconnected._

_But Kyuzo knows that she knows he is moving to sit next to her again and doesn't stop him. And like always, he takes that as a good enough reason to stay. _

_"When I joined Kambei I followed him, not just because of our fight, but because I wanted to live. Ironically, this path I have chosen will mostly likely leads to my death, one way or the other. But it's still better."_

_"Then dying of nonexistence in the estate of a flowery lord?" She offers with an arched brow._

_"Yes." He agrees, because a death of nonexistence was much more painful than any other death he could imagine. He leans forward a little, only to have the other blonde pull back._

_"What are you doing?" _

_"Kissing you." Kyuzo replies offhanded, thinking it was obvious, and trying again, only to have her pull away again._

_"I can assess that, but why?" She prods._

_"I want to."_

_He tries again. And he is again denied._

_"Why?"_

_Kyuzo stops for a moment and ponders the thought briefly for the words. "Because the only time I truly feel alive is with a sword in my hand or when I'm with you." He says and uses her momentary surprise to swoop in and finally achieve his goal._

_He hadn't realized how much he had missed being close to the kunoichi until he had to go without it days after being able to do so frequently when in Respite. _

_When they break apart for air a whispered "Not again…" comes against his lips before they are sealed again._

_He thinks he should ask her what that means but, on possibly their last night on Earth, he can think of some many better things to do with their time._

* * *

The red samurai unsheathes his swords as he stands at the helm waiting for an attack. With his long katanas and style he easily deflects shots aimed at their ship while Kikuchiyo takes the brunt of the force.

Now is not the time to be nostalgic about nights past and blonde haired ninjas in his rearview. Now is the time to fight.

The first wave of Nobuseri begins to fire on the beat up attack ship and the samurai do their best to protect the fragile vessel from destruction.

Using the bandits own fire against them Kyuzo and the others deflect the attacks back into the masses. Those that get within leaping distance Kyuzo slices through easily. Perhaps too easily.

"They aren't fighting like Nobuseri!"

Corrupt though they maybe the Nobuseri were once samurai. But in the face of such a small force they seem to be easily out maneuvered, out matched.

_'They're fighting like machines instead of Nobuseri. Could Ukyo have….?'_

Kyuzo has heard of measures taken against metal samurai who refuse to properly serve their lord. Their souls ripped from their bodies so they become husks of obedient scrap but have never seen it in practice.

"Mai-sama go!" Kambei's shout breaks the samurai's thoughts and he watches as the kunoichi dashes past him and leaps into the air, using the Nobuseri heads as stepping stones to get to the airship.

_'Good luck'_

* * *

The airship is a panicked flurry on the inside. The royal guard is not used to direct attacks on the "holy" vessel and don't know what to do in the seeming inevitable defeat of the Nobuseri.

But Mai has no time for them. Even though she could easily dispatch several of the guards around the ship she only assassinates a handful along the way. She wants to saves her energy for Sho. He'll be a tough opponent to beat.

She slinks through the shadows, blending into the dark as she makes her way to the main chamber of the ship knowing that's where Sho would be. He had always been rather fascinated with thrones.

When she enters the throne room it is eerily quiet except for the dull booms of explosions outside. Without all the attendance, clergy, and nobles the room seems to have a shallow you whole affect. Funny, when she had been there last time she thought it was crowded.

Mai whips out her wakizashi and blocks a flurry of four shuriken flying towards her head.

"I thought that was you."

The sound of heels clicking against marble echoes around the chamber as Mai's attacker comes into light

"Haruka," Mai all but spits. Her distaste for the blue haired woman she once called sister all too clear. "Where's Sho?"

"The Grand Mal has fled in order to preserve the legacy of the Omashu. He has charged me with the divine task of protecting the Emperor and killing you."

Mai tilts her head to the side slightly, catching a glimpse of a blubbering mass cowering behind Haruka's knees like a child.

"That's not Ukyo." The blonde replies matter-a-factly; the man may be a coward but he was a little above cowering in a corner. "And Sho wouldn't leave."

Haruka's eyes narrow a fraction. "Regardless; The Grand Mal has given me an order to destroy you. You'll never see him."

"And you _always_ do what Sho says." Mai mocks and Haruka smirks.

"Of course, I'm an Omashu. My loyalty is to my Grand Mal above all else. I would bend a knee before them no matter who they may be."

The blonde narrows her eyes with a deep frown. "Your loyalty is to your ambition, nothing more. Though I'm sure it was easy to kneel before Sho since you were so use to being on your knees before him anyway."

The slight seems to trigger something in the other saidai and Haruka sprints at Mai with her sword drawn.

Their battle begins

The clash of blades echoes endlessly in the vast room as they meet.

Haruka has always been a strong opponent. She is the only kunoichi near par with Mai in skill, speed, and agility. In what seems like a life time ago they used to train together, pushing each other to be better as the pretended to fight to the death.

But now, the fight to the death is real. And the years of training side by side makes the two impossible enemies. They know each other's style. They know each other's strengths.

But they know each other's weaknesses.

Mai knows as their battle rages on for what seems like hours, blades clanging and flesh opening with each intended strike, that Haruka hasn't changed that much. Her defense is perfect, and the only time she is vulnerable is when she actually attacks; a problem Mai had noted to her before but Haruka had never bothered to fix because 'her attack always hit'.

So Mai does the only thing she can do in order to kill her once longtime friend. She sacrifices her shoulder to Haruka's blade in order to stab her shuriken to the hilt in the bluenette's chest. She seems so surprised

The other saidai's sword clatters to the floor loudly when it slides out of Mai, but is drowned out by her coughs and sputters as she stumbles back, falling on to the ground in a heap as she makes a pathetic attempt to close the wound with her hand and slither away at the same time.

Haruka stops when her shoulders back into something and she looks up into Sho's blank face.

She tries to speak, opening her mouth feebly but the blood in her lungs won't let her words take voice. It does matter. Sho barely spares her a second look before he moves his leg and lets her slump completely on the floor, useless and broken.

"It's been a long time Mai. Have a good trip?" Mai can feel the hate burn in her eyes towards the man in front of her and she feels the acid of her rage fill her mouth as she brandishes her wakizashi to fight. It angers her that Sho seems amused. "Oh? So we're not going to engage in small talk? Very well if that's how you wanna be."

Sho's lunge forward is so fast and so hard that Mai skids back a little from the force; her hands tingling through her blade.

Where Mai and Haruka were similar, Mai and Sho were complete opposite.

Where Mai's attacks rely on stealth and speed, Sho's attacks rely on strength and force. Its strike feels like a sledge hammer is beating into her chest and he's too close for her to throw her shuriken; she doesn't have the spare arm to do it now anyway, not if she wants to keep Sho from cutting her in two.

After a blur of attacks Mai's wakizashi has had enough and finally breaks in two from the force of Sho's katana. He seems pleased but Mai uses the momentary start to slash the broken blade across Sho's face over his eye, and when the ninja roars in pain to clutch his wound Mai sprints back to give them space and cries out, "Why?!"

The brown haired ninja looks up through the blood in his eye and barks a harsh laugh. "Really Mai? Do you want some elaborate speech about why I killed Kenzo? Well, I don't have one. Kenzo was going to pick you for Grand Mal and I wanted it. So I killed him and I took it. That's it."

"He was your uncle." She hisses, making no attempt to say he was his Grand Mal, someone he should have fear and respected above all others. Sho doesn't seem to care and it honestly hurts her to refer to Kenzo as _his_ Grand Mal

"And he was your father." Mai's eyes grow wide and Sho clicks his touch. "Oh don't give me that look Mai. I know Jiro told you."

"How did you know that?" Her near hushed silence still makes it to Sho's ears, despite the much louder explosions outside that now rattles free debris, and he shrugs his shoulders

"My mother suspected. She knew her brother had a fondness for blondes, always thought the attention he gave you was a bit _much_ for a tutor." He cleans the blood from his blade in a bored way, playing with it before finishing his story. "But when Kenzo called for you with his dying breath that's when I knew. It wasn't the cry of a dying man seeking his comrades' aid. It was a dying father wanting to see his child one last time."

The bombshell that Sho has just dropped on her feels like it's exploded in Mai's chest. It's a strange feeling that overcomes her at the sound; the same feeling she felt the night she found Grand Mal Kenzo dead on the floor in a pool of his own blood. It's this odd duality of aching emptiness, like a mortar shell has just exploded in her chest, while the rest of her boils with blinding rage. For a moment she can't breathe, can't think, pained beyond belief to know that Kenzo had indeed thought of her in his last moments and she wasn't there.

"Mai!"

The sound of her name distracts the blonde and she turns around. A fool's mistake, such a foolish mistake.

Sho takes the opportunity to stab Mai before twisting her around by the blade deep in her side so her back is pressed to his neck and his other hand is around her throat to choke her pained cry.

Across the room Mai can see Kyuzo in the doorway, swords drawn and prepared to fight, but Sho twist the blade in the kunoichi in warning and the samurai stop.

"I'll give you a proper send off this time Mai." Sho whispers into Mai's ear, breath hot and waxy against her face as he speaks. "I won't be so foolish as to leave you to your fate as before. I'm gonna watch the light go out of your eyes as I send you to Hell. I'm gonna let your precious samurai watch too."

"Not if I send you first." Mai hissed heavily and kicked up Haruka's discarded blade with her foot and grasps it with both hands

The move was quick and painful.

The image was even more horrifying.

The sight of a long sword thrust to the hilt into someone by their own hands and out the back of another was enough to scar even the most seasoned warrior to his grave.

"Mai!" Kyuzo cried, dropping his swords and rushing over to the impaled kunoichi as she and Sho fell to their knees.

The red samurai easily threw the brunette aside and cradled the blonde to his chest as he carefully pulled the bloody blade from her body. Mai gives a small cry of pain as it was pulled free, but quickly schooled her features. She didn't want to die with such an ugly expression on her face.

"Kyuzo…" Mai says quietly but he isn't listening. He just keeps staring as the hole in her and applies pressure futilely as her blood kept gushing out.

"Don't talk." He orders, his eyes filled with worry as he tried to keep her from slipping away in his grasp.

"Kyuzo…"

"Don't,"

"Kyuzo!" Mai says forcefully, finally getting the man's attention. "I'm dying." She says seriously to bring him back to reality. Kyuzo just looks at her painfully, as if he's suddenly been stabbed through the chest too. He knows she is dying. She won't last long. But this was the first time he had ever been scared that someone he knew was dying and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Go, you still have work to do. The others need you more than me." Mai says through faint pants. It was getting harder to breathe.

The blonde shakes his head slowly. "No. I can't leave you."

"You're going to have to." She tells him flatly and he knew that she meant more than just leaving her here.

Mai slowly lifted a hand to Kyuzo's face and he caught it just as it brushed against his cheek. "I'm not scared. And you shouldn't be either. I have no regrets now and found peace. Even more than that, I found you. I guess it was fate that brought us together." She chuckles a little but the gesture brought on a coughing fit that quickly subsided. "Kiss me."

And he does. The red samurai leans down over the dark kunoichi and presses his lips against her. It's brief and heartfelt and when he pulls back he can see that they don't have much time.

"Kyuzo, I… I…"

Whatever she had planned to tell him, whatever last words she had thought to give him in her final moments, die with Mai's last breath.

The samurai grips her hand tighter as his jaw clenches, a hollowness coming back to him.

"I love you too." Kyuzo replies and presses his lips to hers one last time, but finding her kiss no longer warm and enticing but cold and heartbreaking.

The samurai gently places the kunoichi down, flashing back to a time a few months when he pulled her from that cold river and placed her on the river bank.

But he has no time to mourn. He has a job to do. And a love to avenge.

* * *

_So it's been fun kids, but after 3 years this story has finally come to an end. It's sad to see it go (and one of the reasons it took me so long to post because I made myself cry...).Thank you so so much for your support over the years! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. Please feel free to check out my other stories for other fandoms and best wishes to you all!_


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